mom2blu

Unless someone greatly advises against it then I'm sure I'll be taking them out. I'd just hate to be in the middle of it and find out that it was a key part to the tower or something. The best thing is I got the house for a steal, so the worst that happens is that I rebuild it. Still would have saved a ton from a kit.

I'm rehabbing a Beacon Hill and have two spots that are bothering and puzzling me. On the second floor one room has a closet. That drives me crazy since it's historically inaccurate, and also a weird waste of space. Then the room above it on the third floor has a section jutting out. Both spaces seem like a waste of space in what is already not a huge area to work with, and I am thinking of taking them out. BUT since I didn't build the house I wanted to make sure there isn't something I'm missing. Is there a reason they're there? I don't want to try to remove them and the whole house fall down! lol Since the house was built with hot glue removing them isn't tricky, but I just want to be sure they aren't holding up something that I don't realize. Any input?

Didn't Miniatures.com send out a few emails about this? That they are designed it exclusively for Home Depot? I think it's only while supplies last, so if you want one better get it now!

Happy Heart, I LOVE full scale, but I have a million ideas and unfortunately do not live in a mansion. lol I'm just trying to find a solution that literally fits. Smaller scale seems like an answer, and I'm not sure what is out there in 1/2 scale. pdlnpeabody- WOW! just followed the links to your blog with your builds, amazing! I LOVE that you use wood frame construction! I was considering doing the same. Your work is amazing!

Has anyone looked at the dollar tree website? They offer bulk ordering of items, I wonder if it's possible to order a case of assorted furniture, since I'm sure that is how it arrives at the store.....

To the scratch builders out there, what tools and things may be required that I might not have already? anything?

Part of the reason I was thinking 1/4th scale is that I read that O scale model parts fit. And they can be pretty cheap. So I was thinking of buying some, seeing them in person and having a variety, rather than picking the perfect one. What is available in the half scale world?? Are their plenty of options? Since I have my "main" house (the Beacon Hill) where everything is/will be detailed, and accurate, and hopefully amazing I am willing to go in a slightly less detailed direction for some of my other projects. So the idea of small scale doesn't bother me much in that aspect. Quarter scale seems to have lots of stuff available, which will make it easy so that I don't feel like I have no choice but to scratch build every single thing. I have so many idea as to which project to build. I've always wanted to do a mouse hole. I've always wanted to do a Borrowers house. AND last December we looked at a house to buy and I fell in love, but we didn't manage to get it, so I've been wanting to replicate it in miniature. Castles would be cool. A whole set of themed seasonal houses could be cool. I think the only way to tackle all my ideas is scratch building! lol

So I've finally admitted to a feeling I've been trying to push away: I'm not going to be happy until I scratch build a house, from my own design. Since a large part of my craft room already has the Beacon Hill, and my friend and I are going to work together to tackle the Brimbles Merchantile (it's going to be a candy and toy store!) I think it needs to be a smaller scale for the sake of space. Plus that'll give me more buying and making options if I introduce a new scale. I'm leaning toward 1/48 scale. So any advice? words to the wise? tips? naysaying?

I've been scoping out my Dollar Tree for weeks hoping to see furniture again with no luck! Maybe I'll check out some of the others, we have 3 within a 3 mile radius!!

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! In the words of HavanaHolly: :jawdrop:

I feel like I've been working my fingers to the bone on minis! For so long since I got my houses in the summer I've not done anything, but lately, on my! I've made furniture, including this bed and mattress from scratch that I'm SUPER proud of. I started doing the paneling work on the foyer of the Beacon Hill. I'm ordering trim hopefully this week and starting some flooring. We also recently got a finished but empty Christmas house that we've agreed will be Santa's Workshop, and our family is going to get one item a day for it as our advent calender. So I've been doing a few things and brainstorming sessions for that. I've blogger pictures. I'm not sure how or if I can add them here. http://8612minis.blogspot.com/2012/11/its-coming-together.html

When I was a little kid my mom did minis, I adored them. I still here about when I was 2 and "fixed" her piano by painting it white. Eventually I got my own at around 11 or 12. It never was finished, then I sold it around age 16. (I think it was a Duracraft Newburg) Then again around age 21 or 22 I bought a Brimble's Merchantile to do. I've always wanted to run a certain type of store, so I was going to make it in mini. Then I had a son who came our screaming and never stopped, lol. In the summer I got a new dollhouse to do as a family playhouse, then I found the Beacon Hill I've always wanted and got it in July as a 29th Birthday present to myself. Now my whole family does minis! My 5 year old declares that he's the miniaturist in the household. My husband has started to brainstorm ideas for the family house. And I whittle away my hours on one of the 4 houses and stores we have going.

Yeah I saw that they are wholesale, but with the nearest mini's shop almost an hour away I'd love to know what exactly what I need so that I can call ahead and even pre-order as necessary. But knowing it's getting a bit outdated is good. I think I'll not. Or maybe look for one cheap on ebay!??!?!

I just found their massive catalog, is it worth the cost?? The idea of 650+ pages to drool over sounds amazing. But $50 for a catalog! eek! I can't help but picture the minis I could buy with that much!! Is it a good reference for what is out there for minis? a good go-to when you need to shop for a light, or wallpaper, or bed?

Well, if I personally were shopping I'd buy the 3rd or 4th. For these reasons: what I like, and the fact that I'm cheap. Honestly I think it depends on what YOU like. You won't regret anything for a house you love, but you will have regrets if you don't pick one you adore! I'd also factor in how many houses you intend to ever do. If you want to do whole hog on detail and only do one or two houses in your life bigger house would offer more space for details. I paid $50 for my used assembled but unfinished Beacon Hill, and I adore it. Sometimes the work of fixing the past owners mistakes is tedious, even annoying when it was due to stupidity, but all in all I LOVE working on everything I do for it. I don't think I'd feel that way if it wasn't my dream house. There are some pieces of trim and the like that I while have to buy replacements, but those are also upgrades. And since I love the house and got a good deal I don't mind doing it. Slightly off topic, does anyone have a picture of the inside of the dura-craft linfield!?!? (house number 1) I suspect that is the house I had as a kid and sold! I've been trying to find out what it was that I had.