CatColorado Posted August 17, 2011 Author Share Posted August 17, 2011 I haven't subscribed to either in years, so my experience with both mags is out of date. Used to be AM was more expensive, but higher quality all around, however I believe both mags have changed hands a few times since then. I'm no help I know. However, I just spent some time going through the archives of AIM and printed out all the 1/24th projects I found. The projects are: a bookcase, a lemon cake, an inset for a roombox, and a 'what-not' table with bath items. Not all issues have a 1/24th project though, and there were some crochet patterns but since I don't crochet I just passed those up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I used to subscribe to both until the publisher of AM bought DM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biomom Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Hello! Well, I'm very excited about my first bash! I have to say that bashing is quite liberating and fun! I thought it was going to be scary and difficult...but I'm really excited and looking forward to it. Here is a picture of my Rosedale bash...don't worry, I'm going to even out the top and bottom dimensions a bit with the stone facade that I will be doing. This project will be part homage to my 5 years spent living in Paris and part dream of the townhouse that I want to retire in. I'm not sure if I will be doing the red brick "Place des Vosges" style building or the more common tan stone/grey roof that you see everywhere. Probably the latter. So far, I added a floor to make it higher and gave it more traditional French rectangular windows. It will also have small balconies with balustrades and a little secret courtyard garden to the side. This is going to be a big ambitious project, which is exactly what I need! Now my dilemmas. Dilemma #1: I always agonize over interior decorating! I'm slowly working out the wallpaper and I know that I want a lot of wood paneling (painted white) on the bottom part of the walls as well as crown moulding. I found simple 1/2 scale crown moulding and baseboard at NorthEastern Scale Lumber...are there any other sources that you can recommend? I'm going to need a ton of it so I'm looking for good prices. Also, I am really wanting the dentil crown moulding but I haven't found it in 1/2 scale. I'm also looking for a good source for half-scale balustrade (picture shown below). Dilemma #2: Order of assembly. I'm thinking that I need to do the wallpaper and paneling while the walls and ceiling can be laid flat and upright (unassembled). But then I need to worry about lighting since I want to hide the wires behind the wallpaper or ceiling paper. I haven't even thought about lighting yet. I am also doing parquet floors. I'm worried about gluing when the wallpaper is up already (and the glue messing it up). I'm almost thinking that I need to do everything before assembly (floors, panelling, wallpaper) with the exception of the crown moulding which I think I can manage after. But I'm worried about gaps once I assemble. Maybe I should do one floor at a time? Help! Dilemma #3: Has anyone polyurethaned a Brodnax Prints tile wallpaper to give it a more tile shiny sheen? Will it even work or will it destroy the paper? I was thinking it would be cool to coat it with polyurethane and then go over the lines between the tiles with my exacto knife to make it look like individual tiles. Thanks! - Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItzKathyP Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 Dilemma #3: Has anyone polyurethaned a Brodnax Prints tile wallpaper to give it a more tile shiny sheen? Will it even work or will it destroy the paper? I was thinking it would be cool to coat it with polyurethane and then go over the lines between the tiles with my exacto knife to make it look like individual tiles.I tried something very similar with another manufacturer's tile wallpaper (it was very good quality). I coated it with Mod Podge and then cut with the exacto just as you said. It would have been okay except that I couldn't get the brush marks out of the Mod Podge. It probably would work better with the polyurethane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 You might Google architectural model sites to see what you can find in 1:24 scale (moldings, doors & windows, trims, niches, etc). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatColorado Posted August 24, 2011 Author Share Posted August 24, 2011 Why not try spray acrylic in a gloss finish? It's made for paper. Paper may absorb the poly finish. Some people have found laser cut 1/24th balustrades on ebay, I cannot remember the seller though. Failing that, you could try cutting heavy card or mat board to create the design you want. As for assembly, most things can be done after assembly, with the exception of papering around stairs. Also, hallways and other hard to reach areas are good to do before ceilings are in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fov Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 Janet, great idea! It looks just like a townhouse. Not sure if you've been following my Rosedale bash, but it might give you some ideas about what needs to be finished when. The only walls I papered before assembly were the ones with stairs up against them. (I also added a second stairwell leading from the second to third floor.) There's a thread about it here and you can see my progress in the blog posts here. I get half scale crown molding at my local miniature shop, I think it's Northeastern brand. Also I've seen plastic fencing similar to what you're looking for in half scale. Try Plastruct and Grandt line, it might have been one of those brands. (Remember that G scale is the same as half scale.) I'll be watching your bash with interest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biomom Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Thanks so much for the info everyone! You are such a wonderful community and I really appreciate it. Emily, I LOVE your Fairfield and your Rosedale...both are big time inspirations for me. Did you (or will you) add lighting to your Rosedale? By the way...I'm a native San Franciscan (I saw you are from there)...how cool would it be if Greenleaf released a half scale Painted Lady! I also went to high school in Sebastopol, so I cracked up when I read that you went to Peg's Dollhouse store (which I never knew existed but will have to visit when I go back to visit my Mom). I assume she is still in business after the move? -Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fov Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Funny, I'm a native Bostonian! We switched coasts. :lol: I decided not to light the Rosedale. I love how lights look but it adds so much time and expense and I hardly ever turn them on, so I decided not to with this one. Plus of my Fairfield's lights mysteriously stopped working about half the time I try turning them on, and it frustrates me. I needed a break from lighting! It's funny to me that the Victorian dollhouse kits (even the San Franciscan) don't really look like San Francisco Victorians. American Craft put out a Queen Anne Rowhouse in both scales that is more like it. I saw one in half scale on eBay a while back but the seller wouldn't vouch for the contents of the box so I didn't bid, and have regretted it. Majestic Mansions' Buckhead Townhouse is close too. Not that I need another dollhouse (and I do have a similar house in 1:12 that's sorely neglected), but if I were to build a San Francisco style Victorian it would probably be something like that. Peg told me she was going to reopen but she won't necessarily be in Sebastopol. She doesn't have a website but one of the ladies who works at my local mini shop is friends with her, so I can ask. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biomom Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 You are totally right about the kits not quite matching the typical S.F. victorian. We used to spend a lot of time in Dolores Park and I remember the houses lining it very clearly. I love that Buckhead Townhouse but I just can't imaging spending that much on a 1/2" kit! Especially when there are several lovely ones from GL that are so much less expensive... which begs the question: How often does GL come up with a new kit? Once a year? I know they have the annual Spring Fling kit...but I'm wondering how often new 1/2 scale kits might come out. I think a lot of us are hankering for a 1/2 scale Beacon Hill. (I hope I'm not being greedy as I think GL has given us a nice selection already!). As for my Parisian townhouse...I experimented with both polyurethane (water based) and spray glossy sealer on the tile wallpaper and the polyurethane worked better (I honestly thought it was going to be the other way around.). It didn't penetrate the paper as much and, when dry, is giving a nice sheen. I'm not so much worried about wallpapering or even adding crown moulding after assembly...it is putting in my own little wall panelling or ceiling moulding on after assembly. I'm going to create my own small wall panels with trim that I cut myself. I'm worried that it will be crooked when I try to install it. Maybe I should make pencil tracings on the walls where all of the moulding that I will be putting in will go...that way I can align it better? Hope all my fellow East Coasters are doing OK in the storm... -Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fov Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 A problem with putting that stuff on before assembly is that if the walls and ceiling aren't straight for whatever reason, it will be obvious. I did a lot of bashing on mine which is theoretically why I ended up with crooked ceilings, but I had to cover up some imperfections with wallpaper and trim and if I'd done this before assembly they would only have been more obvious. Also, some of the pieces slide together with a tight fit that could be problematic if wallpaper and moldings are already applied. (Probably not such a big deal on the ceilings, in fact I think these would have been easier for me to do before assembly than after.) A good thing about the Rosedale is that it has a totally flat roof so you can easily turn it upside down to work on ceilings, etc. after assembly. Just wait to add the roof trim that sticks up until the very end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 Janet, when I made all the wainscots for the Glencroft pub I cut them from cardstock first and glued my stained craftsticks to that and installed them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fov Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 After taking August off from minis, I put some furniture kits together. One is a Daisy House sofa table for the Rosedale and the other is the Cassidy Creations canopy crib, for the puzzle house. As usual with the Daisy House kits, the sofa table went together smoothly. I have this in 1:12 scale as well, so I took a pic of them next to each other for a size comparison. I'd been putting off the crib since the other Cassidy Creations kits I built for the puzzle house (a bed and a dresser) were a pain to put together. But this is one of the older kits and it was a little better -- at least it included diagrams so you could match up the pieces! I still would have liked a parts list though. The spindles were tough to glue in but not as bad as I thought they'd be. (Some are a little crooked though!) It was really hard to get a picture of it in the house, but the smaller bedroom is going to be a nursery. I have to figure out how to add fabric to the top of the canopy. Of course, there aren't any instructions for doing so. :o I have some half scale kitchen cabinet kits on the way for both my Rosedale and my Fairfield... very excited about them! I'll post more details after they arrive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biomom Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 Cute furniture, Emily! What are your favorite vendors for half scale furniture kits? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fov Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 My favorites are Daisy House (their half scale line is pretty limited, but I've built almost all of them!) and SDK Miniatures. The Cassidy Creations kits are nice (when you can find them) -- good variety of items -- but the instructions are a bit hard to follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DandelionFair Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 OMG! I just received my first Cassidy Creations half scale kit for a Nursery Wardrobe - there must be 50 frigging pieces of wood - not to mention little bits of wire and beads!! I love this: Step #2 - Identify all parts. HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAA! Not from those scant illustrations, I won't.... Sheesh! This will be a real challenge - like a jigsaw puzzle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fov Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 I have that same kit on the to-do list (to go with the crib I built a few weeks ago). We can support each other. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DandelionFair Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Oh great! That will be helpful to have someone to figure it out with. I am ever so happy to have forced myself to only buy one of these kits for starters. Wanted to make sure I could handle it before investing in more!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navywife20851 Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 I barely have space in my home for all my crafting projects so I find the 1/2 scale more space friendly. I haven't really looked for accessories since I usually seem to make stores and shop like themes. Yet, if I had the space I would love the Beacon kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 I built the Cassidy Creations crib and dresser kits for the Fairfields nursery. I had built their Hoosier cabinet and kitchen table for La Casita's kitchen and an escritoire for the Fairfields that had parts that didn't fit, so it was nice to have the nursery furniture fit together with a minimum of vigorous sanding... Sorry not to have pictures of the nursery stuff, but that was the roll the processor broke down and didn't get fixed after nearly a month of waiting for a photo CD. After the moving trauma I may try again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DandelionFair Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 A pox on all you people who keep outbidding me for Cassidy Creations kits!!! Just kidding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 I don't bid for minis, I usually get the kits at Ron's whenever we're in Orlando. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biomom Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 Hi Everyone, I am thinking of ordering a few kits from Petite-Properties but I have a quick question: The website says that the kits are made from "quality mount card" which to me sounds like cardstock. Am I right? I would worry about how cardstock (which is like paper/cardboard) would hold up to paint and how it would look. Or maybe this is a British way of describing thin plywood? Has anyone put these kits together? Thoughts? Thanks, Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 "Quality mount card" sounds like either chipboard or mattboard to me, which would hold up to whatever treatment you'd want to give it, but I'd recommend sealing both sides first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shy Spirit Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 I think it means mat board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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