Holly11176 Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 Hello all- After a twenty plus year hiatus I am back to building dollhouses. Back then you could go to stores like A.C. Moore or Michaels to get furniture and accessories but now I can’t seem to find anyplace to buy them. Any suggestions? Thanks!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyCindy Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 Hobby Lobby is one of the few chain brick-and-mortar stores that still carries a small selection of miniatures. With their 40% off coupon, their prices can’t be beat, but the minis they offer are minimal and the inexpensive price mostly matches the quality. Some of my favorite online retailers, in no particular order, include: minimumworld.com - based in the U.K., nice selection, very reasonable (sometimes free!) shipping miniatures.com - lots of goodies to explore miniaturedesigns.com - great for artisan/unique items dollhousejunction.com - vast array of unique items miniland.ca -based in Canada, a great source for battery-operated lights, both in terms of variety and cost Ebay and Etsy can be quite the treasure trove for minis as well! Happy shopping! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 Hello from another holly and I hope you'll take a few minutes to post us an introduction on the Newcomers' Forum. Hobby Lobby still carries a few pre-made things, and a lot of folks including me starting out used Hobby Builder's Supply. I found it was slightly cheaper and a lot of fun to make my own stuff and I started out with Patricia King's books because she makes really nifty dollhouse furniture, etc, from "found" objects. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeB Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 I am always on the lookout for furnishings and accessories. I sometimes find them in the most unexpected places. Christmas is a good time to score some miniature pieces intended as tree ornaments. I have found great surprises at dollar stores and thrift shops. Hobby Lobby, Joanne's and Michael's sometimes have pieces in their fairy garden section that work, as do large plant nurseries. Hobby Lobby also has some dollhouse things - though not a huge selection. If you live near a sizable city, do a search online for miniatures, dollhouses, and similar words and specify that you are looking "near me." But the biggest variety I have found is online. You can find many companies that specialize in miniatures as well as looking on Amazon, Etsy, and eBay. When searching online, it is common to find the identical item at various prices - some twice or three times the amount of the lowest. And look out for shipping costs. It is sometimes a saving to pay more for the item and getting free shipping. That's my two cents worth. Looking forward to seeing what others say. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCullen Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 And I like Manor House Miniatures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly11176 Posted January 21, 2020 Author Share Posted January 21, 2020 Thank you all so much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbytsdy Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 Just found the vintage 1/16 bathroom set that I've been looking for on etsy. (Actually I've been checking etsy and eBay every month or so for a while now, waiting for the right set at the right price! ) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FurMama Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 factorydirectcraft.com dollhousesandmore.com Both are good about sending coupons via email. FDC sometimes tucks in a free gift with an order though not always mini related but a nice touch. Dollhouses and more ships lightning fast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeB Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 Yesterday my wife and I took a field trip to scope out a miniature shop about an hour away. We are so glad we did. For anyone within a reasonable drive of Cleveland, OH it is well worth the time. The name of the shop is Doll and Minis in Olmsted Falls. Dawn says she has the second largest inventory of any brick and mortar store in the US. We had a wonderful time browsing the Dollhouse kits, finished houses, furnishings, accessories, materials, tools, dolls, and other toys. We made a couple of purchases - one of which was planned - and had a hard time limiting ourselves. Great selection, good prices, knowledgeable and helpful proprietor, and nice location in a quaint village setting. We had lunch in a collection of 19th century buildings that have been turned into a group of specialty shops and restaurants and then browsed the "antique" stores in the area. And to illustrate my point in my post above, in two "antique" shops I found some great deals - a set of 7 blue enamel spatterware pans for only $2.00 and a group of 13 pieces for $15.00, including a porcelain tub, sink & toilet, as well as a sofa, love seat, arm chair, ottoman, wall clock, table, straight chair, washstand, pitcher and bowl. We were very pleased with the day's haul. So - specialty merchants and serendipities - they're both good! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 Lee, Dawn is a member here and also carries the Bromley stencils for brick & stone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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