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so I have always wanted to put together a miniature house and I recently purchased the Fair view house from Green leaf. I have already cracked open the box and skimmed through the directions. I will be setting up a work station and hopefully starting this venture soon, I was wondering if any one had any pointers or tips considering this is my first project, like this.... I am very crafty when it comes to other things. lol Also i am sorta confused as to how the scale thing works, i am not sure what scale this house would be for buying furniture and things i can not make on my own. If someone could help me with that i would greatly appreciate it. Also if there are any websites that you know of where i could order from besides eBay/amazon that would be super wonderful. Thank you all for your help in advance. I am so happy to be joining this little world and cant stop looking up your fair view homes on this forum :) i can only hope mine turns out half as nice as all of yours.

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The Fairview is a 1/2 scale house - so it's 1:24, which means one life-size inch equals 24 dollhouse inches.

My only suggestion is that you want to dry fit it - that is, put it together with tape and clamps - before you actually glue anything permanently. That way, you can see which parts you'll want to decorate before it's assembled.

Good luck, and have fun with it!!

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Hi Nikki, and welcome to the forum. If you haven't already done so you should go the the New Member Introductions and do a post there introducing yourself.

I think you mean the Fairfield, not Fair View, because you said you got it from Greenleaf. The Fairfiled is a half scale house, meaning 1/2 inch in dollhouse dimensions is equal to 1 foot in real life. Several members have built, or are in the process of building Fairfields. There are several threads and lots of posts about this house so you will find lots of advice, and if you have specific questions, just ask.

After you make 5 posts you can start a gallery. It's a good way to chronicle your build, and we are all eye candy lovers. :)

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sorry i did mean Fair Field, and thank you so much for the advice and i cant wait to get started, i keep getting lost in all the other forums but i am attempting to make my way to new members forum. again, thank you so much. im sure i will be spending lots of time on here looking for ideas and help :bigwink:

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Nikkki, I answered most of these questions in my reply to your introduction in the Newcomers' Forum. I ended up making all the furniture for mine, since the furniture I bought from Hobby Builders Supply (http://www.miniatures.com) that was supposed to be 1:24 was closer to 1:32 and much too small.

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Actually we should really keep the Fairfield discussion here, as this is where people looking for info about the Fairfield are going to look in the future and benefit from the feedback. I don't really want to close that thread or move it but it would be great if we could gently steer the conversation into this thread instead.

To answer the question you posted...

almost an Uh-oh!!! question on my Fair-field... I want to put "stones" on the foundation. should i do this after the walls go up or before? In the pictures on the box it looks like the walls hang over the foundation some (by the bay windows esp) and i don't want to glue them on and then the rest of the house not fit right... please let me know what you think would be best.

I would assemble the house and then add your stone. If you add it before assembly you might make it so the pieces don't fit together anymore.

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Nikki, you will get just as much, or more feeddback here, in its proper place, on your Fairfield; and you can even keep all your questions about your build in this topic, where it's easier for people to follow, especially those who come after to build the Fairfield, with the same questions.

The Fairfield wasn't my first build, so I already learned this lesson the hard way:

I would assemble the house and then add your stone. If you add it before assembly you might make it so the pieces don't fit together anymore.

Also, when you say "stone", do you plan to use real (tiny) stones, or make them from papermache or paperclay? I sculpt mine out of spackle after I spread it on the surface I want stones, using a toothpick. It's really easy, especially with such a small house as the FF, to turn it and lay it on its sides to get to the parts you want on the outside.

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Nikki, you will get just as much, or more feeddback here, in its proper place, on your Fairfield; and you can even keep all your questions about your build in this topic, where it's easier for people to follow, especially those who come after to build the Fairfield, with the same questions.

The Fairfield wasn't my first build, so I already learned this lesson the hard way:

Also, when you say "stone", do you plan to use real (tiny) stones, or make them from papermache or paperclay? I sculpt mine out of spackle after I spread it on the surface I want stones, using a toothpick. It's really easy, especially with such a small house as the FF, to turn it and lay it on its sides to get to the parts you want on the outside.

OK i will use this one, i'm still kinda confused where i am on here lol. I was thinking it would be better to put the stones on after. and i am planning on using really tiny stones that i found at Joann Fabrics in the wedding section. They are called decorative filler stones i think. i just haven't figured out what i'm going to use as "grout" i am also planning on using these stones on the fire places and chimney, to pull it all together, but i know i have to wait to do those until after its together, thank goodness i have child sized hands. :)

sorry about being confused over which forum to use, i will post on THIS one all my questions and concerns from now on. and i will also try and figure out how to post pics maybe on Monday

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You can spread a thin layer of Spackle (or wallboard mud/joint compound) on the house and then gently press the stones into it. The Spackle then becomes the grout. Much easier than trying to grout tiny irregular stones.

You may want to mix some white glue in with the Spackle to help hold it to the wood and anchor the stones. You can also mix some craft paint into the Spackle to tint it if you don't want the grout to be white.

As Holly says, a house this small is easy to turn on its side for this kind of work. Personally, I'd do it after the house is assembled and glued

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On my Florida Cracker house I made seashell tabby foundation and chimneybreast using Kathie's method, except I puddled a bit of tacky glue onto a piece of waxed paper and dipped each shell into the glue, then pressed it into the wet spackle:

gallery_8_988_72865.jpg

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Holly,Kathie,Emily, who ever else-would she be able to stone the fireplace before installing it-or is it a part of the structure that has to go in as the house is built?I'll have to go familiarize myself with the Fairfield,cuz I'm not sure if that was dumb question.I'd hope to do as much as possible beforehand,as is stressed about the wallpapering and painting and other decorating,and Nikki mentioned doing it after the house is built.Wouldn't that be harder?

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Kat, the floors fit over the chimney pieces when you put it all together, so anything that would alter the thickness of it should be done after it has been put together (if you dry fit you'll understand better what I mean). You can probably decorate the bottom floor fireplace before installation, but I'd dry fit first just to be sure :)

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On my Florida Cracker house I made seashell tabby foundation and chimneybreast using Kathie's method, except I puddled a bit of tacky glue onto a piece of waxed paper and dipped each shell into the glue, then pressed it into the wet spackle:

gallery_8_988_72865.jpg

this is very similar to what i want except with stones very close together to look like foundation. thank you so much, good to know it can be done and i cam achieve the look i am going for

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Holly,Kathie,Emily, who ever else-would she be able to stone the fireplace before installing it-or is it a part of the structure that has to go in as the house is built?I'll have to go familiarize myself with the Fairfield,cuz I'm not sure if that was dumb question.I'd hope to do as much as possible beforehand,as is stressed about the wallpapering and painting and other decorating,and Nikki mentioned doing it after the house is built.Wouldn't that be harder?

i have already figured that out and i Traced the pieces for the chimney so that i can make "sheets" of the stones to put up after the house is assembled. im almost positive i will be able to fit my hands in there to attach the sheets

But thanks for your concern :) I have already noticed from other forums that some people have a really hard time with the chimney even with just paint or paper on it, so that part is pre-planned out

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That's good to know,Nikki! Yeah,I'm not familiar with your house,yet-just know I hear so many stories about how hard some houses are to get into after the build. My little Ashley,my current build, is not so bad,since I knew how to deal with the dormers now-thanx to some forewarning. Well,keep us posted!

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  • 4 weeks later...

I am waiting for my new Fairfield kit to arrive. But I have noticed from some posts that some details must be added yourself if you want them (internal doors) So I want some suggestions about what I should probably expect to have to buy separately to complete my house!

Will I need to buy all my own trim and molding? Or is some included with the kit?

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I used the door punchouts to make my internal doors. I made them plain, so I added a second layer I'd cut from 1/8" basswood, but you could make paneled interior doors with stripwood (or scrapwood) in order to hinge them. I only made doors for the bedrooms and bathrooms.

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Is there any trim included with the kit for finishing the walls? If not, Im on the hunt for some budget-friendly material I can get at the hardware store that can function as a substitute....? Anyone ?

Usually the kits don't come with exterior siding, that is left up to you. They do come with trim for around the doors and windows, but clapboard, or brick or stone, and whatever exterior finish you want to do is up to you.

Go to the Greenleaf store page and study the photos of the kit and read their description. You'll have a better idea of what you'll need then. You might also want to wait until after you've gotten the house and done a dry fit. Sometimes you think you know what you want to do with the house, but once you start construction, it has other plans! :lol: We refer to it as the house telling you what it wants!

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Maggie is a Florida Cracker family's home, so seashell tabby and board&batten were de rigueur.

I finished the edges of my 1/8" plywood walls by dipping my finger into the spackle and smearing it along the edge. My Fairfields' exteriors have a spackling compound stucco finish.

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I love using spackle,thanx to Holly and others here!

I know this goes off-topic,but I'm curious,Holly-I'm not familiar with what a "Florida Cracker" is and I've lived in the South most of my life...but then,not in Florida. You have a story that goes along with your house don't you? I always think it's interesting when someone creates a back story for their build...

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