keinanna Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Hello, My name is Candace. I Live in Vancouver, BC (Canada) Ever since i was a little girl i wanted a dollhouse but did not get one. I have a little girl who is 3 1/2 years old now and am wanting to build her a dollhouse for her 4th birthday in November. I am hoping to start this soon. I have been looking at all the different houses and i think i have decided on the Harrison. It looks like a beautiful house with nice large rooms that would accomidate her playing. She has lots of 4 inch tall dolls which i think would be great for this size house. I would love to get some advice on anything you think would be helpful for me to know. I bought an old kit of furniture from ebay that i expect to arrive this week so i will be starting with that probably before i get my house. It is reasonable to expect to have it done in 5 months? I dont want to rush it and i want to have fun with it. I am very excited about this project including sewing all the curtains and making bedding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilovecats Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Hello and welcome! I think 5 months is definately reasonable to build and decorate a house :thumbup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Day Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Welcome Candace! What a lucky little girl your DD is! The Harrison is a great house! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJEP Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Hi and :thumbup:!! Five months is reasonable depending on what you want to do with the house and how much time you have to put into during the 5 months. Enjoy it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica_the_haunted Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Hi and :thumbup: to the forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Welcome to the neighborhood Candace! The Harrison is a WONDERFUL house. Yes you can have it done in five months but do not stress if it takes 6 instead. We had one person who was new to minis to build a Pierce, electrify it and wallpaper it and gave it to her mom all in 30 days so it can be done!! I hope you share the progress pictures with us all! :thumbup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keinanna Posted June 2, 2008 Author Share Posted June 2, 2008 Thats great i am glad to hear that it should not be too terrible. I had read some posts about the Harrison where people have said that it is a rather difficult kit to start off doing. I have some great ideas for specific things i want to do such as landscaping. I also plan to build it on a stand whic will have casters so it can be easily moved for playing with and have an open cabinet area for decorative baskets which can store accessories for playing with at the open end of the house then it has the storage built in and when not being played with it can just look pretty. I know that i will need to keep it simple for now because my daughter is still young and can possibly be rough with it which is why i have opted for reasonably cheap kit furniture from ebay instead of going all out and buying elaborate furnishings that may not be appreciated as much at 4 years old. I am hoping this will be something we can add to over the years as her tastes change. I do know that i want to do lighting in it but dont have any ideas for colour schemes yet. I know she is really into pinks and purples right now so i will need to find a good nautral decor that can be girly but will also fit with more traditional decor as she may want that later on. Has anyone ever seen the Harrison painted any other colors for the exterior than the brown and white shown on the box? I have looked and not seen anything different and was wondering what it might look like in other colors. I will definetely be sharing pictures i will want all the input i can get on it since i have no idea what i am getting myself into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Welcome, Candace, yes, you can build the Harrison and have it play-ready for a 4-year-old within 5 months, and when she's older you can upgrade the decor and electrify it with lights, if you wish. And you can build a few dollhouses for yourself, while you're at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantail Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Candace......I know exactly what you mean about 4 year olds and colors. I am finishing up the Victorian Cottage Jr, for my 4 year old grandchick.....here is the wallpaper she picked our: Pink hearts for an upstairs kid's bedroom, living room-pink pattern wallpaper with pink ceiling, and pink check wallpaper for the kitchen. Finally talked her into other colors for the other two rooms! It's funny how different kids are....her mother would never have had pink ANYTHING! I had a blast working on this "with" her. She tells me I'm the best Mooma ever! I'll get pics in my gallery soon. Have fun with the new hobby........it'll get under your skin! annie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keinanna Posted June 2, 2008 Author Share Posted June 2, 2008 Yes i think i am going to probably end up building myself a dollhouse or more as well i am so excited about it. I have been thinking about doing it for almost a year and finally decided to get serious about it. I have looked at several houses and just really love the Harrison i like the Garfield as well but thought that one would be a bit too elaborate for my daughter so that may become a project house for myself. There are so many options for beautiful items for dollhouses as i am sure most of you know and i am just so inspired by what can actually be done with these houses and it gives me a chance to use my embroidery machine and scraps of fabric to make pretty things for the houses as well. I really wanted to start on it today but the store i plan to buy my kit from is closed on sundays. They have an amazing price on the Harrison $115 for the kit which is cheaper than i have found it for on most internet sites which would have insane shipping so i will have to wait unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keinanna Posted June 2, 2008 Author Share Posted June 2, 2008 I worry about the all pink house i really do. I know that she would probably love to have the exterior trim done in pink but i am unsure if that would look very good. Is it reasonably easy to repaint / rewallapaper houses later on if she decides that she wants to? I would love to do wallpaper in the house now just dont know if it would be a good idea. I have heard that it is a good idea to make a template of all the walls and label them in the event of wallpapering later on. Which might be a solution for now. Also what kinda of dolls are usually used with these houses for children's use? My daughter has a ton of 4 inch tall polly pocket dolls which would probably work but is there something better? Preferably something that can have changes of clothing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 'the Polly Pocket dolls are OK, there's some Kim Possibles in scale, and the Li'l Bratz & Li'l Boyz will work. I found some Holly Hobbiie dolls in scale with changes of clothes, I used one in the rehab I gave to Toys for Tots. Melissa & Doug and Ryan's Room also make lovely wooden dolls that are poseable, but I don't know about the clothes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keinanna Posted June 2, 2008 Author Share Posted June 2, 2008 Thanks i will check those dolls and see if there is anything we like from those ones. Most of those i have not seen here but thats what the internet is for :thumbup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Hi Candace .. what fun you and your daughter will have! May I suggest not installing the windows? With extra openings, little hands can reach all through the house. When she's older, and understands how easily the plastic window panes can be destroyed, it will be easy enough to install them. As for the pink ... why not do the outside of the house in traditional colors and paint the inside a pale, pale pink. You can paint the furniture Pepto Bismol pink and go nuts with pink rugs, bedspreads and accessories. Plastic window stickers will adhere to the paint for wall decoration and can be moved, removed at will without leaving a residue. Later, the pale pink can be covered with other paint or wallpaper -- after you electrify it. I'd definitely wait a good while before adding electricity. Little hands can pull out wires and lights faster than you can say: OH! Don't worry about the size of the dolls. My 10-year-old god daughter has an Orchid populated with all sorts of dolls in various scales. It doesn't bother her at all that they're not all the same scale. In fact, I'm not sure she even notices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Hello and welcome to the forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Hello and welcome to the forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keinanna Posted June 2, 2008 Author Share Posted June 2, 2008 Thats great advice i was thinking about the doors that they might not be safe as she opens and closes them so i was going to do the frames but not install the hinged doors right away the windows were something i had not even considered to be an issue. Maybe for now i can find a way to rig something up to make the windows look nice without having the actual panes put in so i can keep them for later when she will be more gentle. I am so glad i found this forum so i can get advice before i start and do things that i might regret later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess11 Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Welcome, Candace! I made a Laurel/Primrose for a 4 YO for Christmas and I used Loving Family dolls for her. The furniture worked well too and since it is plastic it is pretty rugged. For my own DD (who is 7) she wants all wooden furniture and was horrified when I suggested plastic. So each child has her own ideas! I'd do it how she wants for now and you can redo it later on. It's not a bad idea to put the wallpaper on templates so it can be easily redone later on. You'll get plenty of advice here. We're a great, supportive group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keinanna Posted June 2, 2008 Author Share Posted June 2, 2008 Thanks so much for all the help and welcomes i really feel welcomed here. I was talking about the dollhouse with my husband and he is thinking that the Harrison is a little too elaborate for our daughter at 4 years old so it looks like i might not get to build that one just yet. However we looked at other houses and he really likes the Arthur and i dont mind it either its not my first choice but i do like it so that might be the one i do instead. Although that being said i already informed him that if all goes well in building the smaller house i will want to keep my options open to be able to build the Harrison once i am done and have not really been discouraged from the idea :thumbup: He saw some of the more elaborate work on some of the houses and said there was no way those were meant for children i explained of course not it is more of a hobby than a project for children and he is kind of ok with that i think as long as it gets worked on and does not end up collecting dust like my embroidery machine is currently it will be fine plus like i explained doing the houses gives me a reason to use my sewing machine so it makes it worth it and i get rid of scrap fabric that is taking up space in the office so its a win-win situation. So tomorrow i will be looking at prices in the local hobby store and see what i can find. Hopefully they have the arthur i cant remember if they do or not so i may end up with something else if they dont. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corwin Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Hello sorry for the belated welcome. Hope you like it here as much as we all do!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinyJudi Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Hi and welcome! I love the Harrison house and I am certain you will have a fun build with it. Your daughter will have so much fun too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Hello and welcome to the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Good morning, Candace. Another good house for younger children is the Orchid. I'd suggest leaving out the stairway for more room unless your daughter NEEDS a stairway for her little people. As for the windows, I'd paint or stain some skinny sticks and glue them around the windows as frames. Use hot glue (one of the few times you'll hear that suggested here!) so you can pop them off later on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keinanna Posted June 2, 2008 Author Share Posted June 2, 2008 I really like the Orchid as well. I think my list of possible houses is the Arthur, Westville, Orchid or Hanted house made non haunted all of those seem smaller and not terribly complex which may be better for her for now. When i first decided to build a house and got excited about the Harrison i was also at first taking into consideration that it may be the only house i ever build but now that i am researching the hobby more i am realising that will probably not be the case so i wont mind making a smaller one for now. This way too i can make the super girly house for her. I am still not sure about all pink i may go with purple and white for the outside and maybe do some wallpaper with pink in it for the inside i guess once i get my furniture pack which includes wallpaper and flooring i will have a better idea of what i want to do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Candace, check out the Team Haunted House Blog, when we built that kit mine would NOT look haunted no matter what! If this house is going to be ultra pink, invest in a can of brass/ gold spray paint for some of the trims & highlights, as well as a container of glitter sprinkles and knock yourself out! Go with the templates for the walls and save yourself a lot of scraping of prinkles later; you can also go berserk with the pink girly scrapbook papers for wallpapers. When she suddenly discovers she's "too old" for all the pink & pastels & glitter, voila! You can pop out the templates and install wiring, pop off the temporary trim and install the kit windows (Kathie's suggestion is good because very little children like to poke their little hands through the doorways & window openings, so doors, windows & porch posts & railings will be superfluous for a while & can be added later) and doors and their trims at that time. Build the Harrison for YOU! If I ever luck out and get that kit, it wants me to make it into a Georgian/ Colonial inn & tavern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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