Sherry Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 Anna, Jim's floor printies are a little too fancy looking for dwarfs' houses. I'm trying to find something a little more rustic. But thanks for reminding me about him! I have the floor made and it's definitely rustic! Now I'm cutting egg cartons to make the fireplace and chimney. I think this chimney will just go all the way to the 2nd floor ceiling and come out the roof, rather than attaching it to the outside. We'll see when I get to that point! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxxie Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 I like Jim's printies and found some other sites with printies. I cut a lot of things out of magazines also. I need to do the roof next and I really don't like doing roofs. I don't think did a very good job on the Violet house roof at all. Maybe I will improve when I practice on this one. I haven't tried to make a chimney yet either. How did you make the floor look rustic? Did you use paper flooring and age it somehow or the wood floor of the actual puzzle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Which house? On the first two, I just scored the floor for planks and then stained them. On this last one, I made a flagstone floor out of paper. I had some granite looking paper, did a little dry brushing on it, tore it into pieces and modpodged it to the floor (which I had painted gray). Then I put a gray glaze over it and a little aging with stamper's ink. It's not too bad, not great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxxie Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Wow I would never have thought of any of that. I am still at the "glue the paper to the floor" stage. lol Still hunting for inhabitants for mine. I am going to find them one way or another. My clay experiment ended in a cracked person with no feet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 So when do we get to see photos, huh?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxxie Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Pics Soon! Working on the roof...I HATE roofing! lol Not much done today because I am too busy playing around on the internet with my new dsl ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 It's great, isn't it? I am sitting here looking the the fireplace for the dwarves' house. I made it all in one piece and then had DH cut it in half, so both pieces are the same size, but I won't have to cut a hole in the floor for it. I'll just do one piece and put it in the first floor, then add the second floor and the rest of the chimney there. I just hope I got it measured right! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxxie Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 I am having so much fun I might never get anything else done every except surf the internet...lol That is a great idea about the chimney! I have had a migraine on and off so inbetween I was gluing a few shingles on at a time. I am using the Aleenes fast grip which is not that much faster than the Tacky Glue but works ok for me. I found it in Wally Mart. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 I know what you mean. I ought to be filling out job applications and instead, I'm gluing bricks on a chimney!I'm only giving myself 15 more minutes, though. Then I'll go to the grocery store and come back to fill it out. But this chimney is being a real challenge and I can't wait to see how it looks! I glued on the mantle and it's supports first, and I am continuing the stones inside the firebox, so it's pretty fiddly. But I have finished the bottom part, so now it's just a matter of continuing to the ceiling. But I'm putting a shelf on the second floor part of the chimney so I'll have to do that, too. The quick grip is great for stuff like this. I use it a lot on things that are hard to clamp until they dry. Then I just sit and hold it with one hand and drink coffee or surf with the other! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shy Spirit Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Now that you all have completed or are nearing completion of these puzzle houses - what are your thoughts (pros and cons) about them? What are the problem areas? I won't be doing mine anyday soon, but figured I should ask you while the process is still fresh in your minds. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxxie Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 They are very easy to punch out, there is little to no sanding. They are fun fast miniature projects that work up cute. The only problem I had with the house with the verandah was the silly little pieces that hold the porch roof on. My fix for that was leave them off and it worked fine! I am a novice so talk to the experienced people. I am having fun making them though. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 They are easy to punch out and an excellent plywood. No splintering, breaking, or sanding. She's right about the verandah house. The roof braces don't fit well and take a lot of floor space on the second floor, so I left them out as well. On the bay window one, the second floor is too small to fill the hole inside the gable. But I knew that when I started this 2nd one, so I cut it out bigger and glued the part that would have normally punched out, to the two extensions I cut. They are great fun, and have kept me occupied while my craft room is occupied-they are small enough to do on the kitchen bar! But you are limited in space in them because they are so small. And they are not as detailed as larger houses can be, nor is their scale perfect. So really, the only drawback to them is that you have to do a bit of 'bashing' to make things fit perfectly, and they don't have enough rooms. For what they are, they are great. They are toys and I've made fantasy houses from them. I've been able to experiment with new ideas and techniques on them, and their limitations seem to bring out everyone's creativity! I can't wait to see what Deana has done with hers, or Roxxie with this last one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxxie Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Tee hee Roxxie is being silly and not showing hers yet ;) I have to stop with the roof every now and then. I am stuck at the top part where that gable thing ( 2 room house) sticks out...I made some boo boos along the way..oh well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Those goofs are where you put moss, vines, bird dropping, whatever, to cover them up. That's creativity! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shy Spirit Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 My most creative moments are when presented with a challenging problem! ;) I think it will be fun to do this little house - although, I wonder if there isn't just as much work involved as when building a Greenleaf kit. Bigger reward (with a Greenleaf) for the same time and effort? Or am I wrong? Just wondering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxxie Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 I am going to need some really big bird droppings then! ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 I don't think they take all that long. I built the fairy house in about 3 weeks, I think. The thing is that I really don't care how long it takes, I just finish because I have nothing else I'd rather be doing than! Once I finish one, I start another, so why hurry? You just end up with more houses you don't have room for. It's the building that I enjoy, not seeing how many I can accumulate before I die! I've been working on my farmhouse for nearly a year, off and on-and will probably never say 'this is done'! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shy Spirit Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Sherry, if you were replying to my query - I must have not phrased it clearly. I'm in no hurry to build and "finish" dollhouses - I definitely take my time. Probably too much time!! I suppose what I'm really wondering about is the durability of the puzzle houses. Will they last well? I would hate to put a lot of love and energy into a dollhouse that can't be handled and played with. Mostly played with by me ;) but also by children. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxxie Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 I was just thinking I planned to build ONE nice house that will take me a long time to do. I wanted a place to collect miniatures and show them off. The puzzle houses were a nice warm up, I just make things out of this and that. I don't have room for a ton of houses! The Farm House is going to take up more space in my mini livingroom as it is. Its the fun of doing it not the end! ;) This is an edit: Here is what I have done so far but not done yet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda from the Bluegrass Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 My most creative moments are when presented with a challenging problem! ;) I think it will be fun to do this little house - although, I wonder if there isn't just as much work involved as when building a Greenleaf kit. Bigger reward (with a Greenleaf) for the same time and effort? Or am I wrong? Just wondering. Hi, Rosalind: I am working on one of the puzzle houses right now, and I was just amazed by the fact that it is of very high quality wood. I believe that once they are built, they will be very durable! Also, they definitely don't take as long to build as a larger kit . . . there just aren't that many parts. I've built a lot of dollhouses, and even the smaller "real" kits have a lot more parts than these. I actually wish I had bought more of the Michaels kits because once they are done, I don't think anyone would believe they started out as cheap "puzzle" houses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Roxxie I love the soda fountain! That is so cute! The fountain, the record player upstairs, it's all just wonderful! now I know what the jukebox was for and I love it! What did you do with the outside? The stars on the wall and the little menus on the table are great, it's all priceless! OK, about the durability. The house itself is very solid and sturdy when it's built. They were designed for ages 8+, as it says on the package, and I'm sure an eight year old would have fun building it with a minimum of supervision. What makes one of them delicate is what is added to it. If the builder keeps a child in mind and doesn't make balsawood furniture, for instance, or delicate plants outside, it would be great for a younger child (not a toddler or a destructive child-no dollhouse would stand up to mistreatment). I am making the 7 dwarfs' house for my 6 yr old grand daughter. I know it's perfect for her, but hope that her 18 month old brother doesn't get hold of it. He'd probably flush the furniture down the toilet! I have said it before and will again-don't compare these to collector houses. They're toys and it takes an artist to turn it into a collector's item. The ones that people here have made are, but they are exceptions. The house itself is a toy and great for kids. What the builder makes of it is up to her or him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda from the Bluegrass Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Wow, Roxxie! I LOVE it all! Your little upholstered couch and chair is awesome . . . did you do it? I love the overall theme and the great colors you used. BRAVO! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shy Spirit Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Roxxie, I LOVE what you did with the house! What a great idea - and so well carried out. The jukebox is perfect, and all the colours really bring that "era" to life. Super job!! ;) Thank you Everyone, for answering my questions. Sounds like these kits are worth investing thought and care into. Now I can be confident to build a puzzle house (when I get the extra time, of course). You have all made yours very special! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxxie Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Thanks Girls! Yes, I made the couch, chair and adapted other pieces from the puzzle furniture etc. I could just keep building these cuties! I don't mind the little oddities of the scale and the build because its so creative and I live to play! I don't like the outside much...trying to work on that now to make it more interesting. Anyone have any ideas? ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxxie Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Oh OH I didnt do the roof right! I didn't know how to match the porch shingle line with the main part...I can't take it all off now! Waaaaaaa! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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