Mike S Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Newly retired, I had a request from my grandaughter for a dollhouse. Never building one before, not knowing what I was getting into, I looked for the biggest dollhouse I could find when I found a picture of Real Good Toys Victorian Queen Ann. On a limited budget, I decided to make the entire house from scratch. As I went along, my grandaughter suggested improvements to my design so I began to add special touches that soon got out of control. I put in an electric elevator, 2 real stained glass windows, running water, a different patterned inlaid oak and mahogony floor for each room, a hand carved observation gazebo atop the tower with inlaid rose floor and hand painted "Creation of Man" on ceiling, a smoking chimney, a pull down ladder to reach the trap door to the roof, hard wired lights in each room wired through ceiling conduit, hand cut cedar shingles, ceiling designs, handmade foundation stones, hand made victorian window accents, hand made marbelized clay entry tiles, hand carved guard lions on front stairs and a whole lot of little things too numerous to mention. I began the build in Feb., 2011 and just completed the house in Feb., 2012, exactly 1 year. Total hours were about 1500, cost about $600. I don't have a workshop, living in a condo, so I occupied the spare bedroom, the den and the dining room with a monumental mess for 1 year. But now I'm done, and my grandaughter can enjoy something special her grampy made for her. (she did assist in many of the phases of the design and construction, painting, sawing etc.) I would like to share my experiences and would be happy for any comments. I have included a pictures (I took over 300 capturing my dollhouse journey) and I posted on youtube 4 videos about my dollhouse. If you go to youtube and type my user name --- hfore2 in the search box, you will find my four videos (along with others) entitled Jessicas Queen Ann Dollhouse Parts 1 to 4. Thanks Mike Shane Attached Thumbnails 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Another awesome scratch builder! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo Med Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 So what's your next project Mike? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike S Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 Jo, This was a one off for now. I am an amateur painter and story writer, and they have been on hold for the last year. I'm rather looking forward to a few relaxing landscapes and finishing my stories. My fingers are just starting to uncramp from my endless sanding and cutting. Building this house was captivating for me but time to move on. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixie0763 Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Very impressive! Congratulations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Happy Heart Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Jo, your tag line nearly made me snarf my coffee, lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heizaguirrec Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Hello, Very nice project. I am also interested in add an elevator to my doll house, however I don't know where to start. I search and search in internet and I don't find instructions do you mind to give me any hint? It will be very appreciate it thanks a lot for your answer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 Helga, I have requested that your email address be removed from your post. This is a public forum and spammers and webbots gather personal emails to send all sorts of unwelcome "stuff". There is an internal messaging function here on this forum that people can use to reply personally to your request. Peggi describes how her husband made her an elevator for her ballet studio: http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/index.php?app=blog&module=display§ion=blog&blogid=15&showentry=677 I expect you could rig a pulley system from crochet thread to raise and lower it, sort of like the working elevator in the antique Mexican dollhouse that Flora Gill Jacobs had in her collection: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Grey Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 This is an awesome project. What a lucky grandaughter! All the creative extras are fantastic. I really enjoyed the elevator! Lovely woodwork - and the smoking chimney! Thanks for uploading and sharing the videos - they were easy to find. My husband enjoyed your videos as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GenieBird Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 That must be one amazing house ... what a lucky girl your grandaughter is. Interested to know what your next project is going to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creamcheese Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 What a gorgeous one of a kind dollhouse for a very special and lucky granddaughter!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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