Sometimes I do this. I play with my new purchases, placing them in some unfinished project. This is partly because I need to shrug off my inertia and get back to work on the current rescue. It’s also because my favorite part of any dollhouse project is decorating the rooms.
But I have a LOT to do on this house before it reaches that stage and that is my least favorite part of the process. If it was all decorating, I’d be happily immersed in that as we speak. Although, to be honest, decorating a dollhouse – if you want to do it with style, and I do – can be pricey. I can repurpose things, and will, but there are a few pieces that will require saving my pennies. I don’t dare think about all the money that went into my first dollhouse over the course of the 6 years I worked on it. But that’s the thing, if you take your time, it’s like collecting something. Every so often, you buy a piece. But you don’t buy a piece every day or even every week. I did the same thing with Don’s mini studio. It took a few years, including the actual building of it from a kit, and I bought the furnishings over time. It was also delayed at times by the death of my father and Scout; I just didn’t have the heart to work on it.
As you know, I’m very strict about scale. Even after all of the painstaking work I did on Hummingbird Cottage, there are a few pieces that aren’t quite to scale and I’ll most likely replace them in time. I know that other dollhouse lovers don’t care about that as much, and that’s fine, but I’m so visual that it really bothers me. I can’t help it.
I also don’t like what I call ‘clunky’ pieces. I guess that means too boxy, too unrealistic, too child-like, not defined enough. My dollhouses are adult dollhouses and since I don’t have grandchildren, I can get away with that!
Here, I’m testing out my other new rug purchase in the modern dollhouse. I sort of like it there.
Anyway, it’s all doable if I take my time. Building materials first, along with paint and shingles, and in the case of the rescue house, some sort of stone exterior that I will have to do by hand. There are several pieces of trim that are missing and I’ll have to replace them with parts of the kit that Barbara sent me. Then inside: floors, walls – wallpaper or paint or stucco? – trim, baseboards and after all of that is done, decorating. Rehabbing a dollhouse is much more complicated because you spend a lot of time trying to undo someone else’s choices and/or errors. I had to do a lot of that with Hummingbird Cottage and I expect I will have to do a fair amount of it with this project. I have already spent hours and hours melting old glue and removing it.
I have a picture in my head of how I want it to look, both outside and inside. We’ll see how that works out. The one thing I do know is that whatever picture I have in my mind at present will evolve as I start working on it once again.
As for the modern dollhouse, it’s just white walls and floors right now and I’m still not sure what, if anything, I will change. I’m thinking of adding a modern fireplace to one of the walls. But that’s all I’ve got at the moment.
Fall is here, winter is coming, and I’m ready to dig in.
Happy Monday.
I loved your brilliant idea of turning egg cartons into “stone” blocks for one of your houses. Perfect texture! And I seem to remember you cutting and painting them individually. If that’s correct, it seems to me to be the hard way. (This from an experienced painter who still prefers to paint a real wall or ceiling with a small paint brush!) You might try dribbling, splashing, spritzing, and blending your paints—watering them down so they’ll flow in random ways— then let them dry. Cut them into blocks and place them afterward. You’ll still get random look of real stone, but so much easier (and more fun). It’s the way real done is cut, after all…just sayin’.
Oops. real STONE is cut, after all…
xo
Yes, that’s what I plan on doing – I just cut the others individually because they were only for a color test. Thanks, Shanna.
I can’t take credit for the egg carton idea, I’ve seen it elsewhere!
How exciting. I am working on my modern dolls house too. I brought 2 dolls house kits and am using the wood trim to detail my house. They were only $4 each at a yard sale. I am going to copy your Popsicle stick wood floor. I’ve got hundreds of them from yard sales too.
Good Luck and have fun. Elaine
Have fun creating the floor, Elaine!
I build vicariously through you, Claudia. My cousin was going to build me a house, but I decided my home had no room for a house.
I enjoy watching your process as it unfolds.
If I ever do get a house of my own I will have learned much from one of the best.
P.S. Remember I was going to read a physical book? Before doing that I had to unearth my boxes of books that I had packed a year ago in anticipation of a move. The first box had nothing to interest me. Same with the second, and third. Finally, growing impatient with myself I decided to open the box, but not look inside. I just reached in and grabbed the first book I touched. I will now be reading “Country Chronicle” by Gladys Taber. She is one of my favorites, but for some reason I haven’t read this one. How lucky am I that I just grabbed it?
Isn’t that great? Perfect choice, Trudy!
with your eye for detail, i am sure this dollhouse will turn out lovely like your other ones. enjoy the process, including the rehab parts!
i’d like to watch someone make one of those miniature rugs, tables, cupboards, etc. … the details are incredible.
hope you have a nice night.
kathy in iowa
Thank you, Kathy!
I agree about scale. If you are going to spend the time, the money and the energy to do it, do it right, so all the elements work together. And I will be so eager to see its progress!
Thank you, Jeanie! I just have to bite the bullet and start in!
I was in a thrift store last week and bought 4 large sacks of doll house furniture, thinking I don’t have room for a doll house LOL however after reading your posts I think I can start one now .
I think I’ll paint some of my furniture , I want a french doll house setting
I think your little rug is so cute and it would work in my doll house when I find one.
Oh, how fun! Good for you, Janice! Check out Craigs List for used dollhouses. That’s where I got my first dollhouse.