Orchid Day #1

[silvrsky]

After waiting over a week it finally arrived! I work as a teacher so I didn't get to start working on it till 4 pm. I tried to get as much as I could done so i worked pretty hard for the next three hours. I started out by labeling everything in pencil. I know the instructions say to pop things out as you go but one of the things it wanted me to start with was the windows. I am not ready for that since I don't have any paint yet, so I popped those out and bagged them. I decided to bag all of sheets # 1-5 in baggies so i wouldnt lose anything. Hopefully I dont regret that later. I really want to get the sanding done before it gets too hot outside so I think I may focus on that tomorrow. Next, I sanded the first, second, front and two main side boards with three different grits. Then I dry fit it and glued it together. I used my level on my Iphone to make sure it was straight. I used tape to clamp all the sides. So far the only casualty seems to be my hobby knief as the tip is gone. Lol. I have a lot of sanding to get done and I need to do some more reading to find out what I should work on tomorrow. Very excited and I can't wait for tomorrow evening to get going on it again. The pictures I took are to big so perhaps I can figure out how to resize the images tomorrow. Is their anyone else just starting out on the Orchid right now? Would love to here from some others. Night! Meagan

[armymom166]

Finished my Orchid awhile back... although I don't think I will ever really be FINISHED with it! Tons of sanding and painting, but it's all worth it once it starts going together. My Orchid was a practice house, but I fell in love with it. And I learned a lot from this forum, too.

I'd love to see your pictures - I believe once you have 5 posts, you can create your own album in a gallery. Have fun, and happy building!

[Chris P.]

Hi Meagan, sounds like you made great progress! I also bag my pieces, according to what parts they are, and label each bag with the sheet number(s) they came from. I also lightly pencil in whether the trim is interior or exterior, which is the floor, which is the ceiling, etc. Some people use tape for this labeling, but I have never had a problem erasing my marks.

Im not certain whether you have asked these questions and already gotten the answers, but ~

Read the directions over and over again.

Dry fit often (put the pieces together using tape instead of glue to see where and how everything fits.

Don't get paint in the slots or on the tabs.

Hot glue is a no-no. I like to use tacky glue.

Have fun with your build! I'm looking forward to your pics as you progress through your project.

[Chris P.]

Many of our members have excellent blogs and tutorials. Gina's blog has step by step how-to-build blogs with photos, very nicely done. Here is a link to her Orchid blog pages. At the bottom of day one, you can click 'newer post' to get to the next day. The 'newer post' button is underneath where you can post comments; it's a bit hard to find at first.

http://moreminis.blogspot.com/2007/04/orchid-day-1.html

[GirlPiper]

Welcome and have fun with your build.

[havanaholly]

There are two building team blogs for the Orchid. I have built one in wood and one in plastic and found another one in a thrift store that someone built with hot glue and parts had already begun to fall off and are GONE.

I prefer to leave the pieces in place in their wood sheets and use the schematics sheet to dry fit and build, but that's if I follow the instructions sheet.

[silvrsky]

Awesome, thanks for all the tips everyone. I still haven't figured out how to upload pictures but I think that is because I am usually using my tablet when I write you after working on it. Maybe I still need to do a few posts. Yesterday, I just did more bagging for sheets 6-7. I also got a lot of stuff ready to sand and read the directions a ton more. Today, I have downloaded the detailed instructions. I can't wait for the weekend so I can really get going. I am really addicted to looking at bespaq furniture on ebay. I also signed up as a NAME member today, but can't seem to log in. I don't remember giving myself a password, so maybe I have to wait for it to come or something. I saw that there is a big convention here this summer in Tuscon, AZ. It would be fun to sign up for some workshops etc... Are any of you going? Well, better get back to work and stop dreaming about my dollhouse. LOL Meagan

[havanaholly]

Meagan, if you received your new member PM it either listed or linked you to the list of how mini posts you need to make to get to do different things, and you need to have made five posts before you can make albums in the Gallery.

[sparklepuppies]

Holly, I'm not entirely sure new members get that email anymore. Seems like I might have read that somewhere that after some past upgrade that went bye-bye. But I'm always happy to provide the link to the topic!

http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=2055

[GirlPiper]

Holly, I'm not entirely sure new members get that email anymore. Seems like I might have read that somewhere that after some past upgrade that went bye-bye. But I'm always happy to provide the link to the topic!

http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=2055

I joined last summer and didn't get an email or the newsletter--how often is the newsletter sent out?

[sparklepuppies]

The newsletter I believe is separate from the forum, I think.

Yes, go to the main Greenleaf site, there is a newsletter signup there. The newsletter used to be every month or two, but I'm not sure it's really on a regular schedule anymore due to some health issues of the writers.

http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com

You can visit the topic I posted above for all the New Member stuff. It used to be sent as either a PM or email (or both), but not sure if that still happens. The topic can be found under the Forum FAQ sub-forum.

[havanaholly]

Thanks, Tracy; I tend to block the downside issues that seem to accompany each new "upgrade".

[GirlPiper]

The newsletter I believe is separate from the forum, I think.

Yes, go to the main Greenleaf site, there is a newsletter signup there. The newsletter used to be every month or two, but I'm not sure it's really on a regular schedule anymore due to some health issues of the writers.

http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com

You can visit the topic I posted above for all the New Member stuff. It used to be sent as either a PM or email (or both), but not sure if that still happens. The topic can be found under the Forum FAQ sub-forum.

Mystery solved! Thank you.