KathieB Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 Hello ... Three months ago I was muddling along with an Orchid kit and thinking it was great fun. Then a friend asked for help getting a partially finished dollhouse ready for an auction to benefit a new cancer wing for our community hospital. Luckily, my friend and her husband have been working with miniatures for nearly a quarter of a century. Little did I realize that I'd be undergoing an intense workshop in miniature crafting, but what a ride it has been! The 9-room, electrified, fully furnished house can be seen at http://public.fotki.com/ShenandoahLady By the way, we haven't been able to identify the design of this house. If anyone recognizes it, we'd be glad to know. Now that the BIG house is finished and on display prior to the August 26 auction, I'm ready to get back to the Orchid. I was delighted to see the Team Orchid blog and would love to join in. At this point it's assembled and painted (but I want to change the colors ... lol) and ready for wiring. I did the foundation with wallboard putty to look like stones. It needs to be painted and aged. I have much of the furnishings to make it a nice little cottage. Was delighted to see that nearly everyone lost the stairway. It sure does take up a lot of space! Am looking forward to browsing through the forum. There is so much good information here! Thank you all for sharing your expertise! Kathie in Missouri My favorite inside photo: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuttiwebgal Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 !Welcome! Im so glad you found us and wondered in here to chat! do you have any photos of your Orchid? I am doing one and it is turning out to be a sweet little house. love the big house! Im sorry I cant help you with a name for it but I know someone here will know! lots of knowledge found here. these gals know everything or know how to find it if they dont. I also am from Missouri kind of dry around here for minis though. I hope things are better for you! nutti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maresiedotes Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 What a wonderful house, and what a worthy cause! Glad you decided to join...it's a great place to share mini things. I'm a Missourian by birth (born and raised in St. Louis), and now live right over the border in Kansas City. Should you ever get over this way, be sure to visit Mini Temptations, in Overland Park, KS. It's a great little mini shop and the owner is a sweetheart. www.dollhousestore.com Good luck with your Orchid! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuttiwebgal Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 oooo I was born and raised all around the KC area now I live down by Joplin. been here since I was 14 so I know nada about how to get around up there! but I will be attending the Pets On Parade miniature show Sept 30th -Oct 1st maybe you will come also and we could meet for lunch or chat or whatever! I love meeting mini folks! specially ones I already know! nutti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 Welcome to the Neighborhood!! I LOVE the Orchid house! It is such a delightful house and is quick to build too. I am with Nutti here, I would LOVE to see pictures of yours! The Auction house is Beautiful! Is it by Dura Craft? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilovecats Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 oooo I was born and raised all around the KC area now I live down by Joplin. been here since I was 14 so I know nada about how to get around up there! but I will be attending the Pets On Parade miniature show Sept 30th -Oct 1st maybe you will come also and we could meet for lunch or chat or whatever! I love meeting mini folks! specially ones I already know! :lol: nutti Hey Nutti, I didn't know you are in Missouri! For some reason I thought you are located in California :lol: I don't know where i got that idea :lol: :lol: Anyway, I lived in Florissant, and St. Peters for awhile. I also lived across the river in Edwardsville, IL while I went to college at SIUE.....then i commuted to SIUE from St. Peters. So I guess i lived around St. Louis for about 3 years before moving to Georgia. I miss the area, it was a great place to live. I used to love going on float trips (canoeing) down some of the rivers, I can't remember where we used to go tho, it's been a few years. i enjoyed Merrimac caverns even tho it was a little commercial. Lots of fun things to do in the St. Louis area. I miss the landscape there, especially going for drives in the country. We used to do that alot. Welcome KathieB! Please show us photos of your Orchid. The house for charity is beautiful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCullen Posted July 31, 2006 Share Posted July 31, 2006 Welcome to the forum KathieB! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakyshaky Posted July 31, 2006 Share Posted July 31, 2006 Hi and welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted July 31, 2006 Author Share Posted July 31, 2006 Thanks for the welcome, all of you! I don't have any photos of the Orchid to share -- yet. I have some from when I started on it way last January that I'll post when I get started again. Am trying to get some painting and decorating done in my REAL house before I get back to the mini world! With the weeks and weeks devoted to the charity house and some extensive travel this summer, the paint buckets have been just sitting there! Nutti ... I'll check into the show in KC. Would love to meet and swap war stories! Have already told my husband that it's on the calendar. We drove through Joplin not long ago on our way home from Houston. If only I'd known! Maresie ... I know Mini Temptations well. In fact, Laura Way did an unofficial appraisal for us based on the photographs. Kathie ... who thought being retired meant you could do anything you want whenever you want ... what a rude awakening! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted July 31, 2006 Share Posted July 31, 2006 Welcome Kathie! I love the pics of the auction house! The lil ADT security sign is a hoot! The more people here read and peek at your picks the sooner you will find out the name of that beauty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlene Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 Hi Kathie & welcome! Beautiful house and a great cause, as well. Loved all the little detailing on it...can't help on the name or manufacturer, but I'll bet someone here will come with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 Belated welcome to the forum, Kathie, we're on the road on our way to our son's where I hope to begin building the Orchid kit, so I would love to see pictures of yours. The Auction house is Beautiful! Is it by Dura Craft?The structure certainly looks like Dura-Craft to me, and other problems with the kits notwithstanding, they make into beautiful houses! I hope your auction raises a ton of money, good luck! I'm retired (recently) and am loving the free time to do anything my little heart desires! ;) We retired two years ago and I love! having time to mini, but we also travel, cycle, hike and paddle (a kayak), so for the first time in our lives we have had to begin keeping an activity calender! <_< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted August 3, 2006 Author Share Posted August 3, 2006 Okay, I did it ... got the Orchid out today and began work. Have posted the status quo in the Gallery. (Sorry don't know how to provide a link, but I'm sure you'll find it: The Orchid by KathieB Thanks for all of your warm welcomes. It's so nice to know there are kindred spirits, some not very far away! And I have signed up for the NAME conference in KC the end of September. Hope to meet some of you there! LOL!!! ... now I see there is a "visit my gallery" button on my info panel. Oh, the miracles of modern electronics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuttiwebgal Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 .it is wonderful! Im looking forward to seeing more! so do you have the new color scheme in mind? I love it that so many of us are building the same house! I find it fascinating to see the same house through everyones elses eyes. I am following the photo on the box for the outside but I have used blue where it would be green I loved the stucco effect. nutti <_< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris1 Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 The dollhouse looks great, Kathie! :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted August 26, 2006 Author Share Posted August 26, 2006 The auction was today. To remind you, the auction was to benefit the new Community Cancer Center at our local hospital. Norma Jeane and I were in tears when it was all over, tears of JOY!! The dollhouse brought $4,000 ... and the family that bought it has donated it back to the hospital and will pay for a display case so that it can be enjoyed by the patients and visitors in the cancer center! I couldn't wait to get back to the keyboard to let y'all know! To have had the pleasure of working on the house, and the benefits of learning so much about working in miniature, and then to have our dream of having it in a public place come true ... it's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniMadWoman Posted August 26, 2006 Share Posted August 26, 2006 Congratulations, Kathie! How wonderful!! ;) Once the house is situated in its new home, I hope you'll take pictures for us all to see!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted August 26, 2006 Share Posted August 26, 2006 Kathie, that is WONDERFUL!!!! Congratulations to you and for all you have done! When the price kept rising were you sitting or standing ;) What a Great donation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted August 27, 2006 Author Share Posted August 27, 2006 Kathie, that is WONDERFUL!!!! Congratulations to you and for all you have done! When the price kept rising were you sitting or standing ;) What a Great donation! Sitting ... and holding my breath!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuttiwebgal Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 ooooo how excited yall must have been! I am thrilled for you that it brought such a nice price for such a worthwhile cause! congratulations! nutti ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Color Me Holly Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 Kathie, That's great! I am so happy it went well and to get it donated back is pretty awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakyshaky Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 That is so great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharon Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 How wonderful to give back to the community!!! The house will bring joy to the children and adults who see it. There is such a wonder about looking at something in miniature. The family who bought was certainly generous in donating it back to the hospital. Way to go!!!!!!!! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted August 27, 2006 Author Share Posted August 27, 2006 How wonderful to give back to the community!!! The house will bring joy to the children and adults who see it. There is such a wonder about looking at something in miniature. The family who bought was certainly generous in donating it back to the hospital. Way to go!!!!!!!! ;) One of the things we found when we moved here a year ago was a major sense of community. Like any family, there are multiple points of view on how to get things done and the usual disagreements among individuals. But when it gets right down to doing what is best for the town and the people, the majority pull together and look out for one another. They have been incredibly welcoming to me and my husband and the girls, and have pulled us into the local stream of life. The woman who pushed her family to buy the dollhouse is Ann Stapleton, who herself is a well-known doll designer. Her fashion dolls have sold for several hundred dollars. She was diagnosed with cancer some time back and found she could no longer keep up her business. The idea of an auction came about when she donated a good portion of her stock -- hundreds of dolls -- to the hospital for fund raising. She has been keenly interested in the dollhouse and understands the value of having something so positive available for the appreciation of patients and visitors alike. Ann's Dolls can be seen here We've decided, after a year, that we will not be returning to New Orleans. We are going to stay right here, and will be putting our NO house on the market in a month or so, as soon as the cousins who are living in it complete the repairs on their own house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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