Creamcheese Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Hello, everyone! I haven't really been online much lately but I finally took a few photos of my Garfield building progress thus far. Since this is my very first dollhouse, I am very excited about it and it has been so much fun. The Greenleaf community and all of your expertise and helpful hints have been such a big help to me. I have been rather slow at building this but whenever I have had a little time I work on it. I just wanted to share some of my build with the forum. I got the base glued at long last and then began work on the staircase. I tried to mimic rich wood paneling on the staircase and then decided to replace all the doors and windows that came with the Garfield kit. Six of the doors I ended up making and then pin-hinged them using some of my sewing pins. Since I had ordered some ready-made doors from Houseworks, I was able to use their doors as a template of sorts for the 6 small doors that I had to make myself. I find the pin-hinging method works so well for me as the tiny door hinges and nails I tried previously were too frustrating and tiny for me to use. I am so happy with this method. All of the experienced builders have probably already been doing this but this was a great discovery for me!!!!! I hope the attachments will work! The 1st photo is of the preliminary start of the "dry-fit" where I have been cutting out the openings to fit the upgraded doors and windows. The 2nd photo is of my staircase that I stained in a red chestnut stain and put lots of wainscot on to mimic wood paneling. All the doors and windows and baseboards will be stained to match. The 3rd, 4th and 6th photos are some of the doors that I had to make for the smaller doors and that I pin-hinged. They are ready to be stained and then I will glue them in place once I do the wallpaper etc. The 5th photo is of the fireplace that I made. I used the base fireplace from the Garfield kit but I added some embellishments to make it look more ornate. The back I used my mini bricks and mortar and then added some smudged charcoal to make it look like the fireplace has been used. I also added some beads to the fireplace and to the staircase posts. By staining the entire staircase I did not have to worry about which wallpaper to use for the various rooms and I wanted to create a very warm and rich looking staircase. Susan aka Creamcheese 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Susan, you are a gal after my own heart! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyckedWood Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 So neat, I love the fireplace embellishments. I'm doing some similar "building up" methods with my current house too. Hope you share more pics soon, these were fun to see. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GirlPiper Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Just lovely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Lovely !! Makes me want to drag my Garfield back out and start work on it again. Love the way you finished the stairs, esp. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creamcheese Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 I have to say thank you to Holly, Karin, Gloria and Selkie (?) and everyone else in the Greenleaf community for your wonderful comments and helpful suggestions. You have all been such an inspiration to me and I especially have a deep gratitude for Holly's knowledge. If it had not been for the encouragement from this community then I may never have felt confident in starting to build the Garfield. Now I'm really having fun with it and not afraid to try something different or if I make a mistake I know that I can fix it! Maybe next time I will try to create a gallery of my Garfield build. Is that what I was supposed to have done rather than do a post? Just wondered as I will definitely update you with more photos as I progress! Thanks again for always being available and for the encouraging words! Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Anytime after you have 5 posts you can begin an album. You can upload several pictures at once and then label them to your specs and give details of the work. It is nice to keep logs of your builds in the albums for future reference for yourself and others who are searching. It's a nice idea to use the original house/kit name somewhere in the album name for the sake of those who might be searching later on for a specific kit photos. It also helps you look back and realize that you really have accomplished a lot !! Good luck and can't wait to see more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonberry Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I love the staircase and fireplace! I haven't even taken my Garfield out of the box yet - I spend too much time thinking and planning and didn't want it to gather dust and get damaged while I was "procrastinating". Looking forward to more photos! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Susan, it's easy to forget about pictures when you're "into" a build, especially your first; but the pictures, especially during the building process, are so useful for new builders who have been fed the nasty comments about Greenleaf kits from miniature store owners. One of the useful functions the building blogs served, IMO, is that we not only blogged the building process of a particular kit, but how we dealt with any problems, and what and how we bashed whatever we bashed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluehighways Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Absolutely gorgeous! Thank you for the pictures! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creamcheese Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 Everyone has been so positive. Thank you to each and every one of you! I definitely plan to take more photos of my build and then I will try to create my album. That way I can add to it as I continue this project for all to see. Yesterday I actually made a little transom window because I didn't want to use the one that came in the kit. It will be above one of the little bathroom doors that I made. For those of you that have already built the Garfield you will be familiar with what I am referring to. Oh my! My Garfield is really beckoning me and now I'm dreaming about it. I wish I had lots more time to work on it but I am determined and will try to take more photos and post them soon. Thanks for your messages!!!!!!!! P.S. Holly....what is "IMO"? Instant messaging?????????? Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 IMO = in my opinion IMHO = in my humble opinion PM = personal or private messaging Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kat57 Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Welcome to the Forum,Susan. Judging by that gorgeous staircase,your house is going to be a stunner! Looking forward to following your progess! Thank you,Selkie! Not everyone is familiar with the same abbreviations,terminology,and lingo others take for granted! ''Bash'' and ''dry-fit" come to mind-these should be assumed to need a definition for all newcomers,IMO. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Mea culpa, I am SO sorry; I use those d***d internet abbreviations I see all the time! IMO is "in my opinion", thank you Selkie, for posting that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creamcheese Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 WOW! Well, I was way off on what I thought IMO meant. Thanks for shedding light on the abbreviations! No new photos quite yet but today I did glue my kitchen ceiling on. It's embossed and glossy and was easy to cut out to fit. It resembles a white tin ceiling and at first I was going to paint it with a metallic copper paint. I tested a small scrap and decided against it as it will make the kitchen a bit too dark. In my research I guess Victorian homes did sometimes paint their tin ceilings white in their kitchens and bathrooms. Because I am staining a lot of the wood red chestnut which is a deep, rich and darker color I think that I will try to keep the ceilings rather bright and reflective with white paint or wallpaper that is lighter. It sure is a lot easier installing wallpaper and doing ceilings before the walls and floors are glued together (at least for me). I have some ideas for using some wallpaper on the ceiling for the dining room and living room but I still haven't quite planned that out yet. Thanks again for all of your positive feedback and inspiration. I really appreciate it so much! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuppynme Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Susan, So glad to hear that someone else dreams about their doll house build. I go to bed with head realing and then start dreaming, wake up late and feel exhausted! LOL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kat57 Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Gail and Susan,Just don't have the recurring dream I had for years: In it I live in this big,brand new,beautifully furnished 2 story house that is perfect in every way,except one whole side of the house is open...no wall there,nothing. I thought it was about something in my life not being finished or unattainable,or even hurricane damage,cuz lots of house down here look that way after a storm....nope,I finally realized,I was just living in a life-size dollhouse! Now that I finally started my kit,I haven't had the dream in quite awhile. Wishing you both sweet dreams! Kat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creamcheese Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 Hello, everyone!!!!!!!! It's nice to know that others are also having dreams (sweet ones at that)! Just wanted to let you know that I just created my first album and I added a few more photos and details about my Garfield build so take a peek when you have some time. I'll try to keep taking photos of my build so you can see my progress. This is so much fun and a great escape into the creative world. I just love this forum and the GL community. Susan P.S. I forgot to add that it is interesting that the only 2 dollhouse stores here in the Phoenix area that I visited neither carried any Greenleaf dollhouses. When I inquired they both seemed very negative and one just told me to be sure to use a lot of gesso on the wood! I think Holly mentioned something about stores being negative about GL but I do not know why! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Kat, your post reminded me of the weekend our health department sent two of us school nurses to Panama City after Hurrican Opal to run sidewalk clinics to give folks cleaning up free tetanus shots; I was working across the street from the beach and all those big fancy condos on the beach had no walls on the beachfront side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kat57 Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Yeah,Holly,makes you just want to cry after every big storm! Beach Boulevard in Pascagoula,Ms. after Katrina-all those doctors' and lawyers' and other bigwigs homes-made me just as sad for them as my seeing my sister's little 2 bedroom house in Coden,which was fine on the exterior,but gutted on the inside! I hope you live pretty far inland-although that isn't any guarantee,is it? But,my recurring dream was fun,once some piece my mind finally realized where I was!! How many of us would just love to live in some of the Greenleaf dollhouses!? Susan,I LOVE your transom window-how cool is that!? And keep ignoring the Greenleaf critics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mininecessities Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Hi Susan! Your house is going to be so wonderful! I will keep track of your album......right now I have been going through all the members galleries and enjoying all the Eye Candy, especially the Garfield as I too am working on that, Great idea on the Houseworks doors and windows! I used them on a house I gave to my granddaughter and just loved them! I am putting photos in my album again. I am using just what came with the Garfield, for doors etc. I am looking at those tiny hinges I bought and wondering if I will ever get one in lol. Getting ready to paper and hang the door in the partition between the master bedroom and the bathroom and glad that part isn't installed yet as it will be easier to hang the door. The rest ha may not get their doors anytime soon lol. I should have done more to my house before putting it all together as I have had some nightmares putting in wall paper (fabric in some cases) in hard to reach places. Well you can look at pics in my Garfield album by looking under my ID. Glad you are putting pics now, I love to look at them. !! Cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 I am looking at those tiny hinges I bought and wondering if I will ever get one in lol. A lot of folks pin-hinge or use tyvek (sp?) paper that Express Mail envelopes are made of to create hinges and then just glue on the decorative hinges with E6000 or something like that - only for looks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creamcheese Posted August 1, 2013 Author Share Posted August 1, 2013 Hi, Cheryl.....even if you are going to use the Garfield doors that came with the kit you could still add some interesting details to make them more interesting. Just add some basswood trim before you paint or stain them. I ended up using some of my wainscot panels but any sort of embellishment would work. Because of the number of doors that confronted me that was why I chose to make some of my own and pin hinge them rather than try to use the tiny door hinges and nails. I had such a struggle with the one door that I did use them on that I knew I had to find another method that would work better for me. I will definitely enjoy viewing your Garfield too. Thanks for sharing and good luck with those door hinges!!!!!! Susan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mininecessities Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 A lot of folks pin-hinge or use tyvek (sp?) paper that Express Mail envelopes are made of to create hinges and then just glue on the decorative hinges with E6000 or something like that - only for looks. Thanks Selkie, I understood I could use another type of material and paint them, but I don't see how I could pin hinge the doors on the Garfield now that it is together, unless I made frames for each door? then inserted the whole thing in? that might be easier if I made frames to set in , glued them the right size, then pin hinged the doors in? I already have these hinges is why I may use them but honestly yes was planning on glueing them instead of trying to put in the tiny nails lol I really dread trying to get the doors all in, just getting them to fit will be a challenge as everything swells when you paint it so all has to be made to fit afterward lol the other thing I am dreading right now is making the channels in the floors for the celing lights. I used my Dremel on one but took all day to hone out the channel. ugh. I could use a cut off wheel but afraid I would cut clear through the floor. any ideas on making the channels everyone? lol. maybe using an exacto knife would be better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mininecessities Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 (edited) Hi, Cheryl.....even if you are going to use the Garfield doors that came with the kit you could still add some interesting details to make them more interesting. Just add some basswood trim before you paint or stain them. I ended up using some of my wainscot panels but any sort of embellishment would work. Because of the number of doors that confronted me that was why I chose to make some of my own and pin hinge them rather than try to use the tiny door hinges and nails. I had such a struggle with the one door that I did use them on that I knew I had to find another method that would work better for me. I will definitely enjoy viewing your Garfield too. Thanks for sharing and good luck with those door hinges!!!!!! Susan Thanks Susan~ Yes I can just picture me trying to use one of the hinges with nails lol. I am having a hard time picturing how you do pin hinges on the Garfield unless you do it through the floor? and celing? sounds hard lol Just remembered looking at some houses in galleries and thinking oh aha neat, some people don't even put the doors LOL ..well that is an option lol Edited August 1, 2013 by mininecessities Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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