Alisha Lars Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Hello! As my title says, I'm a first time dollhouse builder -- though I can already tell this won't be the last -- and I've begun with the Orchid. My little Alice Cherry Blossom needs a home! Anyhow, I'm Alisha, I live in Texas, I'm married and have a 4 year old boy, two dogs, and a cat. My flickr account is here and it is full of Blythe dolls, both my own and customs I've made for other people, as well as my other crafty things. I'm the type that researches and reads EVERYTHING I can get my hands on, so I've been prowling these boards, blogs, and galleries for a few days, and already I've learned so much from everyone, so thank you! I'm doing the exterior in a Texas Victorian style, so not much bashing, modeled after a house down the street from me, but I'm trying to keep this first one on the simple side (finishing-wise) so that it is a fairly quick build and not discouraging. Most of my pieces are punched, sorted, sanded and primed. I've mixed my paints (aqua for the body of the exterior, white for trim, and red accents), painted about half the pieces, chosen wallpaper (I'm using scrapbook paper), and am nearly finished with the floors. Hopefully I'll be able to start assembling soon -- the weather here has been very cold, so not only does my airbrush like to complain, but my drying times have been tripled. For the floors, I was planning on buying the stick-on wood type, but then I figured out that I'd probably need four or five packs, so I rethought it. Instead, I used a pencil to draw out planks, then went over the lines with a wood burning tool. I sanded just a bit, then made a wash of espresso bean acrylic paint and water, put a few layers on, and now I'm on coat three of gloss. The lines aren't terribly even, but I actually like how the planks look. Best parts are that it was 1. Done with materials and tools I have on hand 2. Didn't involve cutting, fitting, or glue. Here are a few pictures of the flooring. They aren't great photos, since I just ran out to the garage with my camera, but pictures make any post better! I was very glad to read in other posts that you don't actually HAVE to follow the letter of the instructions regarding when the windows go on the house, since I wanted to paint before construction. I have patience, but masking all that trim would probably be enough to make me throw the house out the window. So I'm prepping everything beforehand, keeping paint colors on hand for patchup later, and just hoping to be able to keep track of all the little bits in baggies. These are my little dormers. Thankfully, this was all I assembled before I read that, contrary to the printed instructions, you SHOULDN'T use hot glue. Oh well, rookie mistake, that reading the directions thing. For the roof, I don't want to shingle. I want it to look like a tin roof (similar to the one in this photo, which is not mine, so I'm just linking it: Tin Roof ), so I purchased some very skinny squared wood strips that I will cut to size, glue the to the roof spaced every 1 or 2 inches, then paint the whole thing in various shades of grey to replicate aging. This is the front roof with the wood pieces set on top. Instead of tin, I may finish it to look like copper patina, but this house really wanted to be aqua, so we shall see what looks better. I also bought balsa in a slightly thicker-but-flatter size to use as chair rail. That's been sanded and primed. I did actually splurge on "real" supplies for the crown mouldings and basboards, but those are still in the bags. I also bought a door knocker and doorknob with plates, which is very exciting to me. I will likely hinge the door, but haven't purchased anything because the parts that go into the wood look too long -- it seems like they might punch through the door to the other side. If I clipped those off and glued the metal hinges, would that work? Anyhow, that's some of what I've done so far. I'm also doing columns instead of the first floor dividing wall, but that hasn't gone together yet. It is basically a couple of dowels cut to size and capped at each end with a wooden "pin doll" stand. So, yup, hi! That's my first house so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica_the_haunted Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Hi and to the group! You've been busy! It looks good so far :nana: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alisha Lars Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 Thank you, Monica! I hope to be able to finish the big painting and priming tonight, and maaaaaybe get some wallpaper up. I think once I get the house shell together, I'll start to get excited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdmom Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Welcome to the group- I'm from Texas also. Your house is looking good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alisha Lars Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 Thanks, Birdmom! I'm itching to get back to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJEP Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Hi and !! The Orchid is a great house to begin with!! It was the first one I finished on my own. Enjoy it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hallowell Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCullen Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Welcome to the forum! I love the way you did your floor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Hello and welcome. Glad you finally joined. Sounds like you've got a good plan going. Love your floors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Hello and welcome! You'll learn lots here! And have your dollhouse finished in no time while having fun here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Welcome to the forum "family", Alisha. If you hae a hair dryer you can soften the hot glue and take your dormers apart and scrape off the hot glue and reassemble them with wood glue. The colors sound pretty. When you've made a total of five posts you can open an album in the gallery. You'll find TWO team blogs for the Orchid, we had a little competition between the building team and some of the community members year before last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Hello and welcome to the forum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alisha Lars Posted January 25, 2008 Author Share Posted January 25, 2008 Thanks for all the welcomes! And I really wasn't expecting compliments on my floors -- thank you very much for that! The've gotten a few more coats of gloss, so they're nice and shiny now. Since I last posted, I cranked up the Tom Waits in the garage, snapped my dormers apart (bonus for 30 degree weather -- the hot glue gave up easily), cut all the interior wallpaper pieces, and put a new, slightly more aqua color on the exterior. After a few coats of the first color, it was just too dark, so I went back over it with a shade slightly more green and a few shades lighter. I think this color will look very nice with a copper roof -- so that's where I'm leaning now. For glue, has anyone used E6000 with good results? I have a lot of it (since I use it for my Blythe customs), like how it works, and am considering it for the dollhouse. I will be using spackling compound on the tab/slot gaps, so the paint will not have to stick to it. With a 4 year old, I don't have the ability to hold pieces in place (clamps, yes, holding, no), and I'm thinking the E6000's faster curing may be helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Day Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Hi Alisha, Sorry, I don't have any advice about E6000 - I'm sure someone else will soon. Just wanted to say WELCOME! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinyJudi Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Welcome!! You have made some great progress. I also built the Orchid as a first house. It is a wonderful little place. Your floor looks great! Enjoy the rest of your build! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilovecats Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Hello and welcome to the forum! I love Blythe! I still have NOT collected any, but i would love to get at least one to add to my doll collection! I enjoyed looking at your photos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokkie Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Welcome Alisha, you made a good start with your house, nice to see your progress, we all love pics, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuttiwebgal Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Welcome to the forum! I love your little Piggy...will she be living in the Orchid? which BTW I love what you are doing with it! it looks wonderful and I like the ideas you have for the roof! do plzz post additional photos as you can! you are off to a great start! nutti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THmini2 Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Welcome and I love the way you did the floors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alisha Lars Posted January 27, 2008 Author Share Posted January 27, 2008 Thanks, everyone! I've made some progress and now that I'm on my fifth post, I'll open a gallery and get some photographs posted. I haven't worked much on the house the last few days, since I had a Blythe custom to finish off and get on its way to the UK, as well as another to begin, but today I nearly melted the credit card buying furniture and bits for the house. ILoveCats: You should get a Blythe. Of course I'm going to say that, but you just should. The Neo Takaras aren't exceptionally expensive, unless it is a limited release or one of the older face/body styles, and on the thisisblythe.com forums, you can find used ones already in the US for $80 on up. The 1972 Kenners are really spendy, though, so I wouldn't reccommend starting with one of those. Blythes are just so much fun. Nutti: Yup, my little Alice Cherry Blossom (the BJD pig) will be living in the Orchid -- this is all for her! She's such a heartmelter. She caused quite a stir at the doll shop today -- all the ladies with their reborn babies had never seen anything quite like her! Photos soon! Thanks for all the well wishes and compliments! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alisha Lars Posted January 27, 2008 Author Share Posted January 27, 2008 Okie dokes, I've added two albums to my gallery. The first one I put together has a lot of the furniture and other items I bought for the Orchid, and the second is of the work so far. I've begun applying wallpaper to the interior, as well. Hopefully I'll be able to start getting the shell assembled Sunday night, if the painting and papering goes well now that we're above 35 degrees outside. Thanks for looking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricket Posted January 27, 2008 Share Posted January 27, 2008 Alisha! Wow, you're off and running! Everything is looking great! Thanks for all the photos...we LOVE eye candy around here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shy Spirit Posted January 27, 2008 Share Posted January 27, 2008 Hi Alisha - welcome to the group. I'm also a "research to the nth degree" type - but I often get stuck in that mode. You obviously know when to quit "thinking" and start "doing". Thanks for all the eye-candy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueUni47 Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Hello and welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 Aawwww! Is she going to live with Bumblebear? Do check out this site to do things to your hutches from Michael's. Our Nutti also bashes the hutches & fills them with wonderful goodies. I have been known to bash a hutch or two: and so has Wendy: and so has Grazhina: (check out her Nut House) It's a fun way to get started in making your own dh furniture, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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