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My new project


IveNoClue

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I think I finally figured out how to put photos on. 

The first pic, with the stained siding and red shutters is how the dollhouse came to me. It is a kit from the 1980s that my father-in-law bought because his wife always wanted one and needed a project. Unfortunately she was ill and couldn't really work on it, but he did the build, siding, roofing, chimney and the staining. It's been in his basement ever since. He asked us to take a bunch of stuff from his house - clearing out so he can move to Florida, possibly - and was happy when I agreed to take the dollhouse. 

My mom also did a kit house from the 80s, and made it a Victorian paradise...except for her big fat cat who liked to chew tiny furniture and sit her big behind in the parlor. I honestly don't know what became of my mom's after she passed. I'll have to ask my siblings. I was living in another country back then so I don't know where anything went. But I feel like I'm continuing a project from my own family and my husband's family.

Pic 2 is the first coat of blue I put on because I really hate stained siding. My version of this Colonial will be modern - something I'd want to live in - not period-correct like my in-laws were planning. The shutters are gone and I will be buying some louvered ones which will be black. The front door was broken so I bought another and it's glossy black paint is drying right now.

Oh and I've since staged a miniature hurricane that ripped all the cedar shingles off the roof. I want asphalt. Luckily most of them came off without breakage so they'll be saved for something else. 

The 3rd pic is of the really filthy windows. Decades of being in the basement and being exposed to cigarette smoke left the windows orangey brown and it didn't come off with multiple tries at cleaning. I managed to get the "glass" out by only sacrificing a little wood trim (woot!) and will cut new mylar. Please note that I have my own big fat cat that is showing more interest in this project than I'd like. That's Esmé you can see through the window closeup. She's the deaf, problem cat. (I have two cats. The other hasn't shown any interest.)

Does anyone recognize the kit? 

asitcame.jpeg

painted1.jpeg

grosswindowsEsme.jpeg

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Oh it's lovely!  I like the dormer windows....and the kitty in the window.  :)    I think the blue looks great, and the black shutters and door will be a perfect accent.  Looking forward to seeing how you finish the interior!

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Hi Amy, I love the color you chose.  It's funny how all of our ideas are different for the same house.  I can't wait to see what you do with it. I gather they didn't do anything in the interior so you won't have a lot of undoing there.  My cat thinks all doll houses are hers lol 

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19 minutes ago, IveNoClue said:

Decades of being in the basement and being exposed to cigarette smoke left the windows orangey brown and it didn't come off with multiple tries at cleaning.

The cigarette smoke was probably not an issue if there was no residue that could be washed off. Most likely the plastic itself darkened with age. Some types tend to turn yellow-to-amber even if kept in a closed drawer. 

I really like the color and your renovation plans. Look forward to seeing the house evolve.

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Wow!  Vast improvement.  The color is beautiful.  And from many of the blogs I've seen online, cats are often helpers/inspectors/job managers. :) Fortunately, my kitty is a little too big for a half scale house, because she loves boxes and will crawl into anything that she can (mostly) fit into.

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48 minutes ago, KathieB said:

The cigarette smoke was probably not an issue if there was no residue that could be washed off. Most likely the plastic itself darkened with age. Some types tend to turn yellow-to-amber even if kept in a closed drawer. 

I really like the color and your renovation plans. Look forward to seeing the house evolve.

You are probably right. But everything I've opened from that cellar has had the same brown yuck on it. Luckily it comes off fabric so I was able to see my husband's little sailor suit from when he was a baby in its full glory. LOL!

 

24 minutes ago, Debsrand56 said:

Wow!  Vast improvement.  The color is beautiful.  And from many of the blogs I've seen online, cats are often helpers/inspectors/job managers. :) Fortunately, my kitty is a little too big for a half scale house, because she loves boxes and will crawl into anything that she can (mostly) fit into.

Thanks! Oh believe me, Esmé is too big, it just doesn't stop her. She had her front paws in an Altoid tin a few days ago. She's....special.

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6 hours ago, Beulah said:

Hi Amy, I love the color you chose.  It's funny how all of our ideas are different for the same house.  I can't wait to see what you do with it. I gather they didn't do anything in the interior so you won't have a lot of undoing there.  My cat thinks all doll houses are hers lol 

That's correct. The inside is completely blank. I have some starter ideas brewing but I'm working in the outside until a real plan lets itself be known.

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Love the blue. 

Your house looks a little bit like the Housework front opening Colonial. But with different windows. You used to be able to buy this kit as a shell kit to finish with your own windows, siding etc. (not sure if you still can) I don't know I'd they sold a back opening version but if your building a kit it's not hard to bash to your own preferences. Do you have the overall measurements of the house? If you do you could compare the to the houseworks one to see if they are the same.

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4 hours ago, Samusa said:

Love the blue. 

Your house looks a little bit like the Housework front opening Colonial. But with different windows. You used to be able to buy this kit as a shell kit to finish with your own windows, siding etc. (not sure if you still can) I don't know I'd they sold a back opening version but if your building a kit it's not hard to bash to your own preferences. Do you have the overall measurements of the house? If you do you could compare the to the houseworks one to see if they are the same.

Thank you! I'll measure and see if I can find Housework to compare. It would be awfully ironic for ME to have anything named Housework...

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2 hours ago, IveNoClue said:

Thank you! I'll measure and see if I can find Housework to compare. It would be awfully ironic for ME to have anything named Housework...

:D... Me too.... I miss typed though, it's houseworks with an S

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There is a good chance that the window inserts slide in from the top of the window. Are they hard plexiglass or bendable plastic? Try to take one window off with the heat from a hair dryer and putty knife and see if there is a slot at the top where the inserts go. If so, you can get new plexi inserts or cut your own with a mini table saw.

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50 minutes ago, Sable said:

There is a good chance that the window inserts slide in from the top of the window. Are they hard plexiglass or bendable plastic? Try to take one window off with the heat from a hair dryer and putty knife and see if there is a slot at the top where the inserts go. If so, you can get new plexi inserts or cut your own with a mini table saw.

No, they are inset and surrounded by itty bitty trim wood. Not decorative trim, just strips of wood. I got all the (bendable) plastic out. (I can't believe I didn't break any muntins.) The mylar I bought to replace it is far thinner and bendier but will work. Once I buy some replacement trim, I can get on with replacing the plastic. 

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1 hour ago, IveNoClue said:

Once I buy some replacement trim, I can get on with replacing the plastic. 

You may want to leave the window replacement until the last step of the renovation to avoid accidental damage by paint, wallpaper paste, bumping, etc. Also, the opening provided while the windows are removed can be helpful when working on the interior. 

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17 hours ago, KathieB said:

You may want to leave the window replacement until the last step of the renovation to avoid accidental damage by paint, wallpaper paste, bumping, etc. Also, the opening provided while the windows are removed can be helpful when working on the interior. 

I had that exact thought last night while I should have been sleeping. Thank you. I also planned two building extensions, a garage and the neighbor's house....

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1 minute ago, IveNoClue said:

I had that exact thought last night while I should have been sleeping. Thank you. I also planned two building extensions, a garage and the neighbor's house....

I think it's time to change your screen name. You're no longer clueless! :D 

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I know this is not news to everyone on this forum, but seeing all the goodies at yesterday's miniatures show in Nashua really opened my eyes to all the possibilities. Everything can be made or bought. Everything.

I was so mentally overloaded. At first I thought it looked like an awfully small show, but I realized every table had squillions of tiny things. I had to force myself to focus in exterior items on my list. "Amy, don't you dare buy that 1950s kitchen. You're only here for shutters and doorknobs! Breathe."

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