auntiedebbie Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 HOWDEE FROM TEXAS, VERY BORED, BEEN THINKING ABOUT MAKING A DOLLHOUSE KIT.. ANYONE WANNA SUGGEST THE FIRST ONE I SHOULD ATTEMPT? AND WHY DO YOU SUGGEST IT? IM USED TO MAKING THINGS WITH CLAY, BAKING, SANDING, PAINTING.. IVE ALWAYS WANTED TO WORK WITH WOOD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auntiedebbie Posted September 28, 2017 Author Share Posted September 28, 2017 HOWDEE FROM TEXAS AGAIN... I FORGOT TO ASK WHICH HOUSE WOULD YOU RECOMEND FOR A BEGINNER.. HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON, GETTING ANXIOUS. BEEN LOOKING AT YOUR GALLERY... EVERYTHING IS AMAZING! I CANT WAIT TO HEAR WHICH HOUSE OR HOUSES YOU WOULD RECOMMEND FOR A FIRST TIMER.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Welcome to the little family, Debbie, and please turn off your capitals, it's considered shouting on the internet. I am a firm believer in starting your build with whichever dollhouse "speaks" to you loudest, because you're going to make mistakes and learn things with each and every build. It's wood, and can be taken apart and put together correctly, so don't be afraid to make mistakes. Don't use hot glue. Some members recommend beginning with a smaller kit to learn on, and that's fine if a small kit calls your name; I find that every build is a learning experience.. Be aware that there are different scales and most of what's available ready-made is for 1:12 scale. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudbound Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Hello and welcome to the neighborhood Debbie. I happened on the Greenleaf site when I was building my first dollhouse 3 years ago. My daughter-in-law and I thought we'd save oodles of money by building our own dollhouses rather than buying them pre-built. I found an ad on craigslist for TWO dollhouses for just $50, so we each took one of the kits. Mine was not a style I particularly liked (tudor) but I looked at the entire experience as 'learning' so that I'd be ready to find my 'real' house to build later on. And it was a good learning experience. I wound up right back on the Greenleaf site time and again, with questions that were quickly answered. And yes, Havanholly advised me to steer clear of hot glue too. I obeyed. If instructions tell you to sand - SAND! They mean it. Get some good clamps. These sturdy blue plastic ones come in two sizes and I use both sizes all the time. Plus have some of the black ones in various sizes for the smaller things. Most importantly, have fun. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsbeth Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Do you want to build one or furnish one with all the items you make? A huge money-save is to find a dollhouse on craigslist - amazing houses go for very little money. Kits are often available at low prices, too. But if you want to start playing and spend less time building, there are some great pre-built houses out there for very little money that you can fix up. Good luck! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auntiedebbie Posted September 28, 2017 Author Share Posted September 28, 2017 i really want to build one. i have too much time on my hands and i dont want to buy something on my budget that just falls apart in my hands when im trying to sand it or make it smoother or what ever it might need to look real and as authentic as possible...i dont have any experience with dollhouses but im fascinated. i do clay crafts but always wanted to work with wood. when surfing the net and looking at reviews of what people purchase and they say the peices of wood just crumble in their hands when trying to sand them or they break so easy that concerns me.. i dont have that kind of money to throw away on something if its really going to be that inferior. i do make alot of miniature stuff so doing tiny things is ok and i have alot of tools but taking on wood and if its too fragile to sand then i would be really dissapointed. i guess my budget would be around 100.00 unless someone told me that if i spent 200.00 i would get a better product and would not be disappointed in any way.. but i need to stay in that range if possible. my goal is to have a finished product that looks real with as many working and moving parts as possible. I'm probably gonna be the type to buy a kit and then spend money on better windows, doors, siding, as much detail that would make it look authentic.. but my initial purchase needs to be what i can comfortably afford as long as im not investing in something inferior to begin with. so what do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auntiedebbie Posted September 28, 2017 Author Share Posted September 28, 2017 i appreciate everyone's help and advice. thank you so much. i know me and my hobbies and crafts.. i like to start off small and build from there. so would anyone like to offer advice on what dollhouse kit might be the best one for a beginner? i will consider all your answers. all price ranges espically if a more expensive one is really going to give me the quality wood, a thicker wood and a wood that wont fall apart when handling and sanding and trimming if it needs it. i make miniature clay sculptures and i have to do alot of detail tiny work on them, including sanding, painting etc., so the tiny part and detail part is what i like.. ive always wanted to work with wood i just thought it would be making my self a china hutch or something.. now i think its becasue i would eventually end up in building miniature dollhouses and replicas of all the wonderful wood furniture i can think of or imagine.. and what about that tool kit alot of dollhouse sellers sell on their web sites. its around 60.00 and has everything you need? does it have everything you need and do you think that is a good starter kit? some people were dissapointed that the saw does not have a handle? i guess my biggest issue is looking at reviews of dollhouses people purchased and their comments were the wood is so fragile it falls apart. or the wood is so porous you have to sand it so much it falls apart.. etc... so i know i want a product that i can enjoy working with and it not falling apart, something i can sand and be happy with.. i want perfection even though i know perfection is unrealistic.. doing my sculptures i can spend hours and hours creating a minature sculpture, then hours and hours sanding to make it look perfect as perfect as i can get it and then sometimes im not happy.. thats when i have to move on to the next phase of my project.. so i have a drive to work with a product in minature but if its so fragile it falls apart before i can even get half way through i will be very dissapointed. i have hope there is a beginner house out there for me. i was looking on your gallery last and saw so many products like the wood siding and wood floors and the texture for the walls and so many building materials that i would like to incorporate. i really want to get into the building of this dollhouse and do the details then maybe next year start the furnishing.. I've watched some you tube videos of minature house building but they all seem to be in chinese? so im really at a loss here.. does any one have any suggestions. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 When kits are not stored under ideal conditions the wood can become old & brittle, regardless of who makes it. I prefer to work with the Greenleaf and Corona Concepts kits because the thinner wood is easier for me to work with, the finished product is light enough for me to handle myself really a major condition when I finally tackle that behemoth Garfield!), and when I replace the kit windows and doors with the working ones I make myself it's oh, so easy to do with the thinner wood. At the very bottom of every page on the forum under where it reads Theme & Contact Us it says "Greenleaf Doll House Kits" and when you click on it, it takes you to the company's home page, and on the left there is a menu where you can o look at all the wonderful dollhouse kits they make. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 The Primrose from the Corona collection of Greenleaf is a perfect first timer house. It was my first house and it gave me the confidence to build bigger ones. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auntiedebbie Posted September 28, 2017 Author Share Posted September 28, 2017 (edited) sable, havanaholly, thankyou both for your advice, you dont know how much this helps.. i will look for the Primrose..your both sweatie pies for responding! Edited September 28, 2017 by auntiedebbie to add havanaholly's name to say thank you to both of them for responding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fov Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 You will learn a lot as you go along! Since you're worried about wasting money and the learning curve you'll probably want to start with a smaller house (the Primrose is a good suggestion). Also, Greenleaf's laser cut houses are easier to fit together and have better quality wood than the older die cut versions, requiring less sanding and prep work. You can find those here: http://shop.greenleafdollhouses.com/Laser-Cut-Dollhouses.html You could start with something small like the Asahi Tea House or the The Bora Bora Bungalow just to learn what you're doing, like a "practice house." It sounds like you're patient and detail oriented in other crafts, so I'm sure once you get started you'll get the hang of dollhouse building, too! Besides looking in the Greenleaf store, the gallery is a great place to see what people have done with these kits. The gallery is here: www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/?app=gallery&module=gallery&controller=browse When you see houses you like, let us know the name or post a link to the picture and people who have built it can chime in about what it's like to build and if it's good for a beginner. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 http://www.cinderellamoments.com/?m=1 This person makes wonderful Primroses. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Our club made a village of 20 Primroses: Replacement working doors and windows are available at Hobby Lobby or Miniatures.com 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyckedWood Posted September 29, 2017 Share Posted September 29, 2017 I would go with one of the laser cut kits...the Diana has always been my favorite of those, it's small but detailed and really cute. The only place I've seen it for sale is on the Greenleaf website. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyckedWood Posted September 29, 2017 Share Posted September 29, 2017 I realize the reviews can be scary....I've read many of them in different places. It's not an easy process and can get frustrating, I'm sure most people write the reviews at their height of frustration (understandable). If you have the time to spend and ask questions you'll be fine with any kit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 29, 2017 Share Posted September 29, 2017 There is also a tendency, I'm afraid, for miniature shop owners to run down the Greenleaf and other tab & slot kits, so they can sell the more expensive kits. Yes, the quality of materials in more expensive kits might be better; are you building it for a child to play with, or for yourself to tweak/ bash/ make into exactly what you want? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auntiedebbie Posted September 29, 2017 Author Share Posted September 29, 2017 wyckedwood, havanaholly, thank you so much for your experienced information. you can't know how grateful i am to read your post and get to know the inner workings of the miniature dollhouse world. y'all are so kind to respond to my post! your BUILDING my confidence more and more! thank you! im building the dollhouse with my nephews daughter in mind - would that be a great neice??? bad auntie debbie! thats why i picked my name to be auntie debbie. i think she is around 10 and he said she loves dolls, doll houses.. so she is my motivation. when asking about her interest, i told my nephew not to tell her in case auntie debbie can't pull it off. i'd rather err on the side of caution. it can be a surprize if it turns out ok. i am suspecting it will take me close to a year for everyting if, i make all the furniture and decorations. thank you, for your advice about the dollhouse suppliers or shop owners - they are kinda confusing bc they sell everything but upsell the more expensive. and all the reviews, thank you for mentioning that. they concerned me too! everything yall said makes so much sense! channing will be 11 if i can complete this in a year once i buy one. do you think a year is realistic? im a grandma/auntie that stays at home and very bored and need something to do. when i was doing clay sculptures i spent hours per day and at least 5 days per week on them for christmas and birthday gifts.. so if this turns out to be the love i think its going to be, i expect i will be spending much of my time creating what i hope to be a masterpiece! grand delusions huh??? lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted September 29, 2017 Share Posted September 29, 2017 Something like a Primrose should only take a month to practice on. The larger houses can take 3 months to a year depending on if you have all of your design choices and materials upfront or if need to order materials or make up your mind on design as you go. It's the design choices and the waiting for orders that take so much time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auntiedebbie Posted September 29, 2017 Author Share Posted September 29, 2017 sable, thank you for your help and information. i appreciate everyone's post and help! your a sweat heart for responding! really helps me a lot to feel comfortable and taking on a big project. im leaning towards a bigger but i think more simple model. its more than i orginally planned on spending but its very simple and i can improvise or bash as you say with so many ideas i have gotten from your gallery pictures. on the greeleaf website i found the Brookwood very modern and contemporary design. i have dreams of adding a pool and decking and more skylights and lots of open glass type concepts... of course this is all in my head. only time will tell if i can birth this dream. the building looks so simple it self. i desire to add base boards, crown molding, working windows and doors, i want to use paper plaster to make brick exterior, the picture im sending has a finished product similar to what i want but not that dark. i want to make it a light bright project. the furniture addition is very simple and slimline - i should be able to replicate that. of course my little girl heart wants to take on a victorian mansion with all the gingerbread trim, then furnish it with real antique furniture and decorations but my budget won't afford me that luxury. once i get into this i hope to find one on my budget that i can work on for several years. but for my first one the modern contemporary design is so simple so to speak and i have dreams of bashing it as much as my limited knowledge can stand. i have to have working windows and doors for sure! the only thing im hesitant about but desperatly want is lights. from all the post and gallery pictures and other websites conversations, lighting is a chore for the experienced much less a beginner. woriking lights seem to be a must and from what i can gather laying the wire in the initial building stages is the way to go??? is that what you would recommend? lets see my orginal budget was under 50.00 if possible. now the house is 160.00, then the basic tool kit is about 60.00, the plaster paper? all the extra tools, clamps, tape, paint, stain, glue and thats just what i can think of. is there anything you would recommend or not recomend? i dont have any woodworking tools except a cheap set of xacto knives. this house has shingles so i need the right kind of glue? then the glue for the house and almost last but not least a first aid kit. I'm not prone to hurting myself but i have never worked with saws or blades like what i see in the kits or gallery pictures. does anyone have anything to add or suggest? i appreciate anyones advice, criticism espically before i make the purchase or any input anyone has. i have enclosed a picture of the house i got from greenleaf store web-site. what do yall think? am i decieving myself? MY DOLLHOUSE Additional Images.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 I'm pro lighting. However, I've gotten lazy with it over the years. Rather than searching for different chandeliers and such, I place LED canned lights in the ceiling and call it a day. I use the tape wire system. One tape run on the front edge of each floor and the canned lights connect to it. So much easier than running the wire along all of the walls. These are the light which I use: http://lightingbugltd.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=141 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 The lights in my current house which would make sense in your modern house: http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/?app=gallery&module=gallery&controller=view&id=128769 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fov Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 The house you're looking at is the Brookwood. The modern style isn't that common among dollhouse kits which makes this one special, in my opinion. It's die cut plywood so the wood will require some sanding and prep to make it nice and smooth. It doesn't have all the fiddly trim of a Victorian house so maybe that makes it easier to build, not sure as I haven't built this one (I do have one in my stash for someday, though!) This is one of Greenleaf's older kits (not the newer laser cut kits that are exclusive to their website) so you can shop around to get a good price. Wayfair has it for $105. Here's a video someone posted about the Brookwood: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmzJX2v7cNs She also has one about dollhouse building tools: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehjNhdV0iy4 And if you go to the forum's gallery and search for Brookwood you'll find lots of pictures to inspire you: http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/?app=core&module=search&controller=search&q=brookwood&type=gallery_image&sortby=relevancy&search_in=titles 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auntiedebbie Posted September 30, 2017 Author Share Posted September 30, 2017 sable, wow! how awesome! im a nosey nosey neighbor and i looked at every nook and craney i could see. you are talented! i love the canned lights and the link where you get them. one strip and they connect sounds feasible. i will contact you if ok with you? when i get my lights. do you do your strips along the way or in the beginning or in the end? one post i saw someone said they light as they go becasue it was easier not sure if they were using wire or strips??? so what do you do? and yes i think for this style of house can lights make more sense. hope i can afford them. so is that real tile from like home depot you used in the bath tub area (so cute) thats the kind of stuff i aspire to. does using this kind of tile effect the doll house structure flooring or walls. i was concerned about that. what are you using for your tile roof? it was absolutly beautiful! love the black and white. i think I'm gonna go with that color scheme for my modern house. your house looks beautiful. please keep the pictures up todate as you move along. it will be great to talk to someone in the middle of a build. i love your walls. i love your vanity and your kitchen counter top. what are they made of? are you making your furniture and counter tops? everything is so so tiny cute! i wish i lived near people that had this hobby and we could all collaberate and see each others stuff! do you live near other people that have the bug or love of dollhouse building? thanks again for responding and sharing! this has been such a fun and exciting experience for me! all of yall are wonderful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auntiedebbie Posted September 30, 2017 Author Share Posted September 30, 2017 oh fov thank you so much! you are gem! i will look them up and dream all night long! at this second, i cant stop looking at sable's pics she just sent me... so cute, and great work! sable, if your reading this all your work is wonderful, your little girl balet dress and shoes are so beautiful! do you make your own? thats another question i have.... what about the dolls and doll clothes??? greenleaf has a darling little blonde girl and a darling little brunette girl and a kinda cute baby but I'm not finding many cute dolls or clothes?? anybody have hints or ideas or websites? fov and sable and everyone thank you so much for all your advice, pics, ideas, help! everyone is so helpful and i love the neighborhood, i think I will be moving to your neighborhood as soon as i can buy a house. i feel like ive already had a house warming and welcoming and i havent even purchased my home yet! wow! y'all are great! i will look for a better price on the house thank you for the wayfair suggestion and link and the tool suggestions too! exactly what i need. since what i chose is older would you suggest something else, you mentioned it will need alot of sanding??? dont most kits need alot of sanding? if not i am open to suggestions, im in the idea stage and value everyone of your experience and knowledge. so please feel free to suggest anything! since ive allowed myself to increase my initial budget what would any of you suggest? the parts of the house that sable showed me seem to be streamline too so maybe i need to be open to other models??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 I make everything I put into my houses, including the little people, and I dress them. There are books available for sewing, knitting or crocheting clothing & accessories for dollhouses & dolls. Whilst glue and paint are drying I build furniture and make dolls, etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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