Robin Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 Tell me all you know about the Laurel - any personal experience, helpful hints, etc. I just ordered it last night and it's my first house! I am so excited! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 I can tell you it was a fun and easy build. The hardest part (Or better yet, the most time consuming part) was adding the shingles. This house is a quickbuild for sure. Here are pictures of the one I built 5 years ago when I was pregnant with my last child : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Posted September 6, 2006 Author Share Posted September 6, 2006 I've seen your house...lots of times!! It's all about the eyecandy! And to be honest, I'm kinda looking forward to the shingling part of it. I plan on taking a long time to finish this house. I want it to be something I can be very proud of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 Ahhh You are like our friend Linda here. Linda told me two years ago she likes to shingle and I almost past out cause I hate that part Linda, do you still like to shingle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josi Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 I also find shingling something I like to do. Somehow I find it soothing to plunk individual shingles on the roof. It's okay, Tracy, even I think I'm crazy! I have built the Laurel too, there are shots in my picture trail. It was a fun build, some challenges involved the bay window, but don't you just love the look of it? And sanding the porch railings seems to be something I found a little frustrating, but used emery boards to fit in between. You'll have fun building this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Posted September 6, 2006 Author Share Posted September 6, 2006 I questioned whether or not to mention this but here goes. I just went to Corona's website and printed out the instructions for the house so I could read them over and over before the house even gets here. I'm going out of town this weekend and wanted to take something to read! hehe Does this make me a geek, obsessive, pathetic, excited, etc.? Please Please Please tell me some of you have done this!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 I just built a Laurel last month and became a big fan of this kit. It's a fantastically easy house to build and the end results are a large and airy house with a lot of character. The large rooms in the Laurel are especially nice. There's space in them for even the largest pieces of mini furniture which is a real plus. It's here if you want to see how it came out. The only bashing I did on it was to flip the third floor upside down so the staircases would be staggered instead of on top of each other. I used the Houseworks window upgrades which fit into the window cutouts without any adjustments at all and I think they really enhanced the overall look. I'm also one who loves to shingle and the Laurel was a real breeze............no gables. You're really going to love building this house. It's a darling. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Posted September 6, 2006 Author Share Posted September 6, 2006 Tracy, Deb, and Josi: The houses owned by the three of you are one of the main reasons I picked the Laurel. You all did such a great job. I just love the farmhouse look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajchicago Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 I'm working on this one too. I'm attaching the primrose and have made a big opening between the two first floor rooms. No stairs from first to second floors...someone once told me (Tracy I think) that we can pretend the stairs are elsewhere in the house. Yay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 I also like shingling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuttiwebgal Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 I enjoy shingling as well! not that I wont use other roofing techniques when the roof calls for it. but I dont mind doing shingles! nutti :yikes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Color Me Holly Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 This is the house that I am working on. It went together very easily. I am just taking my very sweet time getting it finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 Now that I have identified my Poor Pitiful Pearl as a Laurel I thought I would track my rehab of it HERE! I have begun a gallery album for this project. This is the "before" exterior shot, so you can see what I meant about the horrible color scheme: http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/i...i&img=12768 The doors were never punched out, just painted in place. The shutter tops were also just painted, no punchouts removed, and then glued to the bottoms and then glued to the house. At least one of the window boxes was attached with the bottom facing front & the frontside down. Other than the little ceramic tiles in their haphazard unhappy mess on half the downstairs floor, NO decoration has been attempted inside. I removed an interior window trim and the stairs (also hot-glued, yuck!). Y'all are welcome to go take a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 Oh, that poor little Laurel! Holly, I'm so glad it found you coz if anyone can bring that poor little house back to life, it would be you. The Laurel is such a great house, it's a crime to see what's been done to this one. So, what is your vision for her? You mentioned a lighter color, do you have anything specific in mind, or a particular style for her? Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 I have a Li'l Bratz couple who will go with it, so I'm sort of going to cut loose! I'm thinking to furnish it in Corona Concepts, including the kitchen stuff I had made for Maggie that I think will look MUCH better in PPP. An example of where my fevered brain is taking me is the bathroom. I have already used many of those little ceramic tiles to re-tile a template for the floor in an actual pattern. I have a GOLD FOIL gift bag to use for the wallpaper. I love your Art Deco treatment of the CC bathroom kit. I have a scrap of gold lame' fabric and a couple of pumpkin coach embroidery applique's I found with it in one of the thrift stores that begs to be a window curtain for a "stained glass" window. I have the rest of the red velour sweatshirt from the redressed doll's skirt to make a bedroom carpet. My mind is sort of going into over-the-top overdrive with this one. What was your wildest desire for your childhood dollhouse? I just hope the Santa-cops give it to a family with more than one little girl! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 I made patterns for the parts I wanted to bash & DH cut my out new porch roofs, a bathroom wall and a divider wall for the attic. I assembled the shell and reinforced the interior corners with 1/4" dowel pieces. I made templates for the bathroom and kitchen floors; I laid the bathroom floor in a design and I have begun the kitchen floor. I installed the bathroom wall & floor. I found some flat, fairly narrow wood amongst my scraps that I think will work well for trims. I'm going with chamois hinges again, and I'm going to make all the flat windows opening swing-out casement windows. I'm still thinking I'll keep the bay, even if I have to do something with the top of it (since it's under the porch roof it really doesn't call for a roof...). No idea yet about porch treatments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 I have a GOLD FOIL gift bag to use for the wallpaper. Oooooooooh, that's a gorgeous look, but wallpapering with foil is a major pain! I used foil paper for the first time in the Willowcrest ballroom and by the time I was done, the feral cats had all joined Weight Watchers. When you apply glue to it, it curls and because of it's texture, it shows ever little bump and imperfection in the wood under it. Not that the end result isn't worth it, but if I ever use it again (and I swore I wouldn't, but you know how that goes), I'll paper the wall with plain paper first, and then put the foil over that. Or maybe put it on a template and then put it on the wall. Getting it to go around corners on gables is a bit of a challenge too since it's so stiff it doesn't bend well. Anyway, keep us posted on how it works for you and if you discover any secrets to getting it to cooperate better, let us know! I laid the bathroom floor in a design and I have begun the kitchen floor Did you use the tile that you salvaged from the house or are you using something else? Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 Did you use the tile that you salvaged from the houseI did for the bathroom floor. I'm MOST anxious to finish off the present roll so I can share the progress pictures! I'm using more of my GL vinyl self-stick tiles for the kitchen floor (nothing so fancy as Maggie's) and the wood strip flooring for the livingroom & second floor hallway. I scored & stained the attic floor. I'm using a gold foil gift bag, the inside is paper. I used green foil paper to line the back of a refinished $Tree dh diningroom cabinet so I know about those ripples... I need the feral cats to come back, anyway. At least all the walls are flat, and they all have openings on them. Making the curtain hardware will be a treat, I haven't tried out my "gold" spray paint yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Deb, the gold foiled paper went right on. I still have one window opening to cut out in the bathroom. I used some really wahwah giftwrap to paper the bedroom! After I trim it I'll be ready to glue in the "carpet". I have a wonderful 1:1 paper to hang in the livingroom, but I dont like any of my papers for the kitchen, although there's a self-adhesive vinyl shelf liner that has been trying to make eye contact for some kind of kitchen project. We stopped in the hardware store in Quincy so I could pick up paint for the bathroom fixtures (I'm thinking of a reddish plum finished with a light metallic spray). I have issues with the CC kit furniture! I shall have to bash a back & a bottom for the hamper! Why, pray tell, cannot the hamper be finished as a hamper with all the pieces? I also found more staples to fit my Stanley staper (1/4" 6MM) and another tub of wallpaper paste (this house may finish up my gallon bucket at last!). Peggi, I almost bought a tub of joint compound, but I still have over half a tub of spackling compound. I think after I paint the bathtub, commode stool and lavatory I'll go back and spackle all the innards and paint them glossy white. BTW did anybody embellish the tub trim? It looks awfully FLAT. I also picked up two sizes of copper tubing caps in the plumbing section, they make the best mini cooking pots! We got through the checkout and out to the car when I realized I was the only one who bought anything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Deb, the gold foiled paper went right on. Yay!! I can't wait to see how this one comes out. It sounds very over-the-top and just gorgeous. Some little girl is going to be in seventh heaven. It also sounds like you're having a great time with it. Isn't it just the best when you get a house that say "Sure!" to every grand idea? Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 As you who have seen the "before" pictures can understand, Pearl has been a bit shy & reluctant to express herself, but when I placed the piece of sweatshirt on the bedroom floor to take pictures, she spoke up and requested the gold lame' for bedroom curtains instead of the bathroom, and I was so pleasantly surprised to hear from her at last I shall most certainly oblige. In general she is quite reluctant to suggest things, so I've been going slowly (for me) and find that building the kit furniture gives her a chance to admire herself, make suggestions and generally come out of her shell. Just the fact that she is so well held together seems to have perked her up. I have finished off the latest film roll and hope to get it processed soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 The latest round of pictures is up along with descriptions of how I did some of the things I've done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachie Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 I will soon be working on a Laurel just as soon as my ups man brings it.....I know him and he is always joking me about my dollhouses so I asked him if he had time and if so come in and I will show you what I've done.....he was speechless.....he couldn't believe I had done the houses..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 My new porch posts are in place with the top support for the porch roof drying. I hope to install all the roofing and begin to shingle tomorrow, also prime & gesso the new foundation. Like the little boy who got too big for his britches, the end is in sight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinS Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 All I have to do is glue on the porch railings, add the shingles for the lower roof where it connects and do some touch up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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