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My First Orchid Kit Is On It's Way!!


kat57

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Morgan,I had to re-read the 'cousin' line,but yeah,they are cousins,aren't they?!Okay,thanx! Kathie and Gloria -Okay,that's another question:house paint or craft paints? I've used craft paints because it's just a few cents a bottle,and it's what I have and with stucccoing my Ashley,the paint seems to spread farther-not using as much,I mean...Should I invest in real house paint,at least for the base color?Then I could use craft paints to accent? Holly,thanx for the locale reminder,and I hope I get the right message from this kit. Ashley Kit #2 is screaming at me from under my bed now-white with green accents,so far. But that would be pretty on the Orchid,too,with yellow,or a blue door....Yikes! Trish and Selkie,all I get is a black screen,so it must not work for my moniter,according to a tiny note at the bottom. This computer is a hand-me-down from sons' grandparents and some stuff still has to be figured out,but thanx! Roxy,I love the 1/4 scale villages now and didn't really know about them before you got so excited about them.Thanx! :) Fun stuff! Janet,yes,as you can probably tell,I am so excited!! :)

I used leftover kitchen paint for the main color, and craft paints for all the trims--because I already had them , and wasn't sure I really wanted to get back into miniatures. Of course, I did get back into it, and have added to my "stuff" here and there. The craft paints work just fine and at $1.39 bottle, can't be beat.

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Thanx,Gloria.Yeah,it may pay for me to get a small can of house paint and use craft paint for trim(s). Guess I'll know for sure when it's sitting here talking to me! It may even put me in a tailspin and say it wants to be brick or stone finished! My 2nd Ashley is going to be white stucco with green trim,and it's still in its box under my bed.lol I am really enjoying looking at others versions of the Orchid-this house is so versatile! Thanx everyone!

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That's a great idea,Chris,a 'Painted Lady'! Yes,I'd love to have the money to make a whole row of Orchid "painted ladies"! Looking at the models in our forum galleries and all over the internet,it is so amazing,all the different ways to decorate the Orchid! Of course,that's true for most dollhouses-that's what makes this hobby so fun!:) I've always heard those houses were given the name because of the type of (ahem) 'ladies' who occupied them in Victorian times,but it's nicer to think it's because of all the pretty colors used on the house exterior....guess I'll find out when I research it! lol

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Kat, you CAN afford a whole row of painted ladies. Watch closely for sales. Paint can be as low as 2 for $1 at the craft store. And Ace is it? gives free paint at times. Watch for these sales.....they are often posted right here on the forum. And HAUNT craigslist. I often get kits for $10 & $15.

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Last time I checked Hobby Lobby here in town had the Orchid for $30 and you can use their 40% off coupon so with tax it comes out to about $20. Very affordable kit, it's the time it takes to put it together right that cost so much!

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I know,the success stories about great deals at Hobby Lobby and on Craig's List are really something! Unfortunately,I've never seen the Orchid at any of our local HLs,but I think you can use discount coupons at HL online...not sure. But,I think I got a pretty nice price on this one,thanx to our Judith doing some searching on my behalf the other day-I think she was determined to find one I could afford-and she did,on ebay. I'm going to be paying my son back for it later,but it was $30 total,new in the box,so that was pretty good for not being a local p/u type thing. Anywhere I've looked at online today was a good bit higher. Here in my rural south area,I just never see Any kind of dollhouses for sale-except the plastic Barbie or toddler stuff,but who knows? If someone was willing ship me a great $10 or $15 find from somewhere out there,that would be nice! If I'm not supposed to say anything like that,then let's just say I'm kidding! ;) Morgan,you are the second one to mention Ace's free paint:as soon as we go to town again I'll check that out! And Perry,you are right about the time factor-but,yeah "putting it together right" means everything to me,so I am soooo slow!lol Saw some great imaginative builds in my online searches today...fun stuff!!

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I'm doing my first dollhouse and it's an Orchid. I love this house! The windows are easy to assemble but the instructions are a little confusing. If you follow them exactly and see how one goes, the rest will be no problem. Do this before you paint or wallpaper your walls, because there's a place where the wall shows through the window frame you're building over it. The part that shows through is supposed to look like part of the window, so you don't want to wallpaper or paint it like the rest of the wall. This is much simpler than it sounds; you'll see it when you lay out the window parts over the opening. I chose the color (or lack of it - it's a weathered white) by driving around and looking at houses I like. I would do that again. Have fun - you're gonna love this house!

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Thanx,Andrea! Yes,I did read that about the windows a couple of times today-here and in other places on the net-where different owners of the Orchid had to figure that out about the 'double-hung' windows. I was already a little nervous,because I've never done fancy-looking (At least to me!) windows like those before. But,they are also one of the things that made me love this house!! We are so lucky we have the forum and other spots on the internet where we can instantly see what other Orchid-ers have done. I'm sure you have searched alot,too.Today I got ideas for the upstairs alcove(a built-in bed),alternate ways to install or replace the staircase,add-ons,totally changing the porch area with paperclay stonework....etc.etc.! I'm not saying I'm doing any of it this time,but what fun! I love that the Orchid is so loved!! Side Note: I am greedy,I guess,but I still really want to find more photos of built examples of my beloved Dura-Craft Ashley,(and I have already seen a few great ones by our members) So,if anyone owns an Ashley that they do NOT have in their gallery,(And I have scoured Them and the Whole internet!!) please,post photos or pm photos to me.Thanx! On pins and needles til my Orchid arrives!!!

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Kat did your Orchid arrive yet? I keep checking the tracking for my GL Village but its taking forever! Waiting is hard!

We have Ace hardware I will have to check them out for mini supplies! The sample paints are often in a big bin in the front of the store.

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Kat, I remember the one thing that tripped me up when I first did my Orchid was the little upstairs dormer construction. I read and re-read those instructions and they might as well have been written in Chinese for all I could understand. After asking here on the forum, I had my "Oh duh - Ah-ha" moment and then couldn't understand why I didn't "get" it to begin with. Go figure ... I'm old - what can I say.

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LOL Selkie! I have have the same issues with trying to understand the instructions. I usually just buffalo ahead without reading them and then find out along the way that I can't fit something in! I left the stairs out completely on one house because I didn't follow the steps and could not for the life of me get them to fit by the time I got there.......can you say DUH! So I have hidden stairs in my farmhouse.

:bangin:

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Stairs are always a question ... put them in and let them use valuable floor space that could be better used for furniture or figure they're in the part of the house that can't be seen? 'Tis a puzzlement and a purely personal issue.

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If you look in my blog towards the very end at my farm house it has no stairs but I was happy to have to space to fill the livingroom with my piano and other things. The stairs is imaginary in the front hall ( that you also can't see).

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Holly,yeah,I've seen some done that way in my Google searching for Orchid builds,and I'll probably do that,too.Thanx for the tip. Roxie and Kathie,there's one blog (not on GL) I'll have to relocate-when time permits-where this lady had a successful way to keep the stairs in the build and made it work for her instead of wasting space...turned out really cute! Selkie,the dormers and alcoves on my Ashley are similar,I think,and yes,I've been slowed down by them,so I will be forwarned! Roxie,I haven't received it yet,but it ought not take too long,coming from Florida and me in Alabama. Gotta go do some (ugh)real chores now....

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BTW, you can download instructions from GL above that are better than the ones that come with the kit unless they have changed them over the years. Just click on downloads and select Orchid and download and print out. You'll be glad you did!

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On the other hand, I made a false wall and made the large gable area in to a hint of a bathroom. A tub and shelf with towels can be glimpsed through a beaded curtain. Didn't have to put in a commode or sink. The hint is that they're on the other side of the wall.

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Ooh,I like that idea,too! I don't know if I want a whole bathroom upstairs and that would certainly solve it! Okay,that one is in my 'idea file'-well,just on my notepad,lol. thanx!

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By the way,Kathie,the staircase in your White Orchid is awesome! Holly,I commend you for working on a build while on the road-Wow! I'm still getting around to all the forum members' Orchids-there's alot of nice ones out there on the net,too. I'm actually getting my housework and such done better and quicker,so I can reward myself with research!:)

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Hi Kat,

I have now finished my Orchid, I used paint seconds or miss matches. I knew what colours i wanted so just kept an eye out whenever I went to the hardware stores. managed to get in small sample sizes or sml tins that were on special.

I used very pale lemon and blrown trims and prussian blue for the gingerbread, this I sanded back slightly after it had dried to give a stressed look.

For the interior I also used the pale lemon and off white trims and ceiling. this complimented the papers I chose.

Like others have said, the house talks!

I would like to put photo's up but have had no joy!, not that I am comp illiterate its just that this site tells me that my pic's are too big even though they are j pegs???

Maybe I should look at doing a blog and attaching the pic's there?

You will have a lot of fun with the Orchid, I could not leave the build alone and had it all done in just over the month acccording to the dates on my pic's.

Now i am working on the furnishings, just keeping it simple till I get used to the finicky work.

I think so far, this project has cost me less than $50au.

Looking foward to seeing your build take place

Gail

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By the way,Kathie,the staircase in your White Orchid is awesome! Holly,I commend you for working on a build while on the road-Wow! I'm still getting around to all the forum members' Orchids-there's alot of nice ones out there on the net,too. I'm actually getting my housework and such done better and quicker,so I can reward myself with research! :)

I built both the first, a wood Orchid and the Glencroft while on the road; although I had done the dry fit for both and the basic carcase of the Glencroft at home, and assembled the wood Orchid in our second son's basement. The White Orchid was a plastic version Dean made in limited numbers.

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