Johannala Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 Hi, everyone! My name is Johanna, hailing from the Upper West Side of Manhattan! I recently decided that I wanted to renovate a dollhouse after I ran out of places to decorate in my very tiny (but not quite miniature) apartment. I've actually always loved dollhouses and miniatures in general. I was constantly making dioramas and creating pseudo dollhouses in my cupboards. I frequently visited the Minature Museum at the Nassau County Museum of Art as a kid and was always taken by the incredible creations. And whilst I did have a fairly impressive Playmobil dollhouse as a kid (and clearly remember my parents making it out to be a very big deal), I couldn't help but want a REAL wooden house like my neighbor Dara had! So here I am now, at 29 — it's time for my dollhouse! I have spent the past 4 days lurking around this lovely forum, trying to figure out what style I want to work with. I've been scanning Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace to see if I can rescue a blast-from-the-past, but I haven't found "the one" just yet. I'll keep you posted! So excited to learn from all of you. I'm blown away by your talents! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 Welcome to the little family, Johanna. If the bug is biting you that hard, perhaps you ought to go all out and build a kit. They are very chatty, and I have even had them call out to me from the box, "Build me!" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbnmini Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 Hi Johanna! And welcome! I do rehabs...and believe me, they are just as "chatty" as a new build! LOL I certainly enjoy the challenge of a rehab, and love the idea of giving a tired old house some new life. Rehabs and new builds each have their own skill set, and I am sure that you will decide which is the best way to go for your first endeavor. But I will warn you....have you ever seen the Mel Gibson movie "What Women Want" where he hears what every woman is thinking? Well, being a miniaturist is kinda like that- once you "hear" your first dollhouse talking, you will hear them ALL talking! (and begging, and grumping, and sulking, and whining, and demanding....) LOL Have fun! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestPaces Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 8 hours ago, Johannala said: Hi, everyone! My name is Johanna, hailing from the Upper West Side of Manhattan! I recently decided that I wanted to renovate a dollhouse after I ran out of places to decorate in my very tiny (but not quite miniature) apartment... Hello Joanna! I'm relatively new here too, building my first kit. Before I even got it dry built I found a fixer-upper on Nextdoor! I am glad I got the kit though as it has taught me a lot, including patience Dollhouses are a great way to practice several skills: woodworking (trust me, you'll soon want to build your own furniture, or modify the style of your house), interior decorating, artistic painting, sewing and everything else in between. A word of warning, this hobby can take up a lot of space - and money! However, there are ways to be frugal: I trawl my local goodwill for 'stuff' I can use (as do many others here). My two cents worth is do a lot of research, soon you'll have a handy list of your basic needs - bulk buy glue and masking tape - a good craft knife and sanding paper! See if you can get a cheap kit on Ebay, or Craigslist or a very cheap house that you can 'practice' on - and start from there. Good luck and please let us know of your progress. P.s. If you do get a kit from the above sources rather than a dealer, ask if it is complete, they can be quite overwhelming without there being pieces missing. Instructions can usually be sourced though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid-life madness Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 Welcome Johanna! Have you been to Manhattan dollhouse? http://manhattandollhouse.com/shop/index.php?main_page=page&id=2&zenid=a944ad19f94956f6e095fc0b67822d26 I always drool over their website, and if I ever make it to NYC, it is on my places to see list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keifer Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 Welcome! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johannala Posted April 26, 2018 Author Share Posted April 26, 2018 1 hour ago, Mid-life madness said: Welcome Johanna! Have you been to Manhattan dollhouse? http://manhattandollhouse.com/shop/index.php?main_page=page&id=2&zenid=a944ad19f94956f6e095fc0b67822d26 I always drool over their website, and if I ever make it to NYC, it is on my places to see list. Their brick and mortar shop is closed now! (The city is just one giant CVS and Chase bank at this point, unfortunately). I know some really awesome stores in New Jersey though that I will definitely be checking out soon! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid-life madness Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 Well that's bad news....I guess I will have to be happy with The Statue of Liberty 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbnmini Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 I am glad that I was able to visit Manhattan Dollhouse a few years ago when they were in the toy store! I bought an acrylic chair that is really cool. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 When I lived close to Manhattan in a small apartment I purchased a Walmer Old Town which is now known as Real Good Toys Cranberry Cove. It’s a medium sized house which fits easily in any room. Mine is on a dining room buffet table. The only difference with the RGT version is the dormer in the mansard roof. Here is the link to it: https://www.realgoodtoys.com/collections/1-inch-scale-design-families-lilliput-dollhouses/products/lilliput-cranberry-cove-dollhouse-kit-smooth-plywood Here is how I transformed it to look like a city house: http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/?app=gallery&module=gallery&controller=view&id=101097 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 Greenwich has a wonderful dollhouse shop: http://whimsiesdollhouseshop.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johannala Posted April 27, 2018 Author Share Posted April 27, 2018 7 hours ago, Sable said: When I lived close to Manhattan in a small apartment I purchased a Walmer Old Town which is now known as Real Good Toys Cranberry Cove. It’s a medium sized house which fits easily in any room. Mine is on a dining room buffet table. The only difference with the RGT version is the dormer in the mansard roof. Here is the link to it: https://www.realgoodtoys.com/collections/1-inch-scale-design-families-lilliput-dollhouses/products/lilliput-cranberry-cove-dollhouse-kit-smooth-plywood Here is how I transformed it to look like a city house: http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/?app=gallery&module=gallery&controller=view&id=101097 2 What a wonderful transformation! I just love the built-ins around the fireplace! I should be doing something small, but of course, everything that's really speaking to me is gigantic and ridiculously inappropriate. Luckily I won't be working on the actual house in my tiny apartment. My mom is letting me work on it in her suburban spare room. With Summer on its way (and the city smelling increasingly like urine and hot garbage), I think i'll be spending a lot of time out there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted April 27, 2018 Share Posted April 27, 2018 There's a lot to be said for NOT living and working in a huge city. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mesp2k Posted April 28, 2018 Share Posted April 28, 2018 Hey Johanna, welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyole Posted April 29, 2018 Share Posted April 29, 2018 Welcome to the Forum! When the miniature bug bites, it's a lifelong addiction! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald Posted May 4, 2018 Share Posted May 4, 2018 WELCOME to the gallery and forum. It will be so fun. I have built kits but always end up changing them. I am terrible at kits. But I have learned a lot here and been encouraged and inspired whether in 1:12 or 1:6. Yes....playscale! But everyone here is encouraging. Please share your build and ideas with us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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