Pinkflowers Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 Okay I'm lost, my dollhouse is completely put together, but I have no clue how to wallpaper now ;) Can someone please inform me on what would be the easiest route to take for a newbie? I'm open to all suggestions.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 Welcome Pinkflowers. A suggestion for your wallpaper, take some newspapers and use them to make a template of your walls. Place the newspapers against your wall and make deep creases where the walls meet the ceilings and floors, being sure to mark where windows are. Cut your newspaper template, test fit and when no more adjustsments need to be made use it to cut your wallpaper. I'm sure others who have done this more often than I, will add more hints to help you with this. Congratulations on your build, please share pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelly N Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 make a template of your walls. Place the newspapers against your wall and make deep creases where the walls meet the ceilings and floors, being sure to mark where windows are. Cut your newspaper template, test fit and when no more adjustsments need to be made use it to cut your wallpaper. What I did was make a template from light paper first as Peggi said then I cut another template out of heavier paper and wallpapered that, then I glued that whole piece in. That way I am thinking that If I ever want to change the wallpaper it might not be such a hassle! Maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCullen Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 Covette, I almost always wallpaper after my dollhouse is built. Almost. There are some areas even I have not been brave enough to attempt! I do not use a template either--most of the time. I can't give you direct links (it won't let me), but I gave some hints and tips on wallpapering in the blogs for the Arthur, the Glencroft, the McKinley and the Lily. If you'll go to those blogs, and choose "follow LPCullen", you can see some of the things I've done, how I do them, what paste I use, etc. Of course, if you're anything like me, you look at the way that other people do things, and do what works best for you. If I can help, let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 Covette, One thing that may help papering is to lay your wall templates side by side and cut as much as possible, also try to "drop match" the pattern at the seams. I usually use premixed wallpaper paste. I also seal and/ or prime the walls to prevent acids from the wood soaking into and "burning" discoloring the paper, and to keep the grain or flaws in the wood from showing through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 Welcome Covette. I wallpapered my entire 1st house in Memory paper or scrapbooking paper. I found the smallest designs so they werent out of scale. I also used Grandmother Stove`s stikflat glue. It was ezier to position paper if I made a mistake. I measured 2 and cut once! LOL Templates are good idea too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilovecats Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 Hi and welcome! I use Yes glue (you can buy a jar of it for 10 dollars at michaels). It's very thick but if you put a couple of tablespoons of warm water in the jar and mix it with a warm spoon you can thin it down to workable consistancy. I say tablespoons but you have to eyeball it depending on how much you have in the jar. Here is what i did the first time. I took a seperate jar and spooned some of the yes glue into it, then added water a little at a time, mixing after each addition. when it was the consistancy of very thick honey i stopped. Supplies: my yes glue, paper towels, a wet towel (not soaking, but good and wet, a garbage bag or trash can very close by, foil I take a piece of foil and lay it down on my work surface (sometimes i put a little bit of tape on the corners of the foil to keep it in place) and lay my wallpaper face down on it. I hold onto one side of the wallpaper and grab some of the yes glue with my other hand and smear it onto the wallpaper, covering the entire surface going in one direction only. It's tricky at first you have to know how thin to put it on, etc...this comes with experience, but i start at the far right of the paper and move to the left just because the paper wants to pull up and move with each smear. the yes glue actually melts a little from the warmth of your hand and makes it easier to work with. After my paper is covered. I use a paper towel to wipe off my hands then i use the wet towel to clean off the stickiness. then i dry my hands with another paper towel. I lift one edge of the wallpaper and after carefully pulling it off the foil, i wad the foil up and throw it away. Then i carefully place the wallpaper into position. if any glue is on my fingers at the point, i wipe, wash and dry and then take a dry wadded up paper towel and start pressing gently into the middle of my wallpaper, smoothing out the air bubbles (up or down or to the side). The key is starting in the middle. Then afer all air bubbles are gone, i use the paper towel and run it over all the edges of the wallpaper to make sure they are attatched and any excess glue wiped off. If any glue gets onto the paper towel, I keep refolding the towel (so that you aren't wiping glue onto your wallpaper which can discolor it). It sounds like a big production but it really isn't. The tutorial that i watched on video for wallpapering was helpful but i found that the product wasn't right for me. The guy used wallpaper mucilage and a paint brush to apply it...again applying it in one direction. I tried this and the glue would not get the coverage that i wanted. Not enough in some areas and to much in others. when i hung the wallpaper the mucilage seeped out of the edges and discolored paper (ruining it) as i wiped it off and then continued to run out the of bottom edge of the wallpaper for quite some time. it left air bubbles and i really didn't like using it. it was a disaster for me and I had to wallpaper over the top of that mess. I know that some people do like using the mucilage. i have had excellant success with the yes glue. My wallpaper looks great in person! If you use scrapbook paper vs dollhouse wallpaper just be careful i have read about the ink from the designs running and ruining the paper, that is the only reason i haven't bothered to try it yet. I know that there are sprays that you can apply to the paper to "fix" and prep the paper before you use it, but i don't know what it is called. Good luck! Margarita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinkflowers Posted May 21, 2006 Author Share Posted May 21, 2006 Thanks for the much needed help everyone ;) Now if I can only get past trying to figure out which wallpaper print would look the best in each room. Here is a link to what I have done so far. Hopefully by the end of this week I will have finished wallpapering. http://www.angelfire.com/planet/dollhousel...es_dollhouse_a/ Hope the link works Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 Oooo. It looks like a real confection of a dollhouse, and what cute Strawberry Shortcake furniture! I could see paper with wee tiny strawberries on it and pale, pale pink woodwork trim in that room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakyshaky Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 That is a very pretty house. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilovecats Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 Pretty colors! I really like your house! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 Nice job, I love your living room window. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuttiwebgal Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 I showed my daughter your houses and she really liked it. now she is ready to get going on hers again! love the color choices! looking forward to seeing more! nutti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 Welcome to the Forum Covette!!! I Love your house! I also LOVE that strawberry short cake room. I have seen wallpaper in mini for that was Strawberry shortcake too LOL. I love to use scrapbook paper personally. It comes in every design you can think of and is cheaper to buy too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 Love what you have done! I have that house too. But it is on the operating table (diningroom) right now and haveing extensive plastic surgery! Keep up the good work and I will keep up on progress. I want to see what you do!! Heidi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa_F Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 Wonderful house! Love the colors! I love to use scrapbook paper personally. It comes in every design you can think of and is cheaper to buy too! I've been doing some *wall paper* shopping at a local scrapbook store - they have so many wonderful patterns that would work and the price is definitely right! Now I just need to get better at piecing two sheets together on the same wall - for walls that are bigger than 1 sheet of scrapbook paper. I'm not doing too bad with the patterned sheets - but the solid colored textured sheets are gonna take lots of practice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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