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Your favorite build


Deb

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Our dollhouses are just like our children........we love them all equally, but we love them differently because each one is unique. Sometimes a particular dollhouse will bond with us during the building process and forever more it's a part of our hearts in a way that goes deeper than our love for other houses. Sometimes it's because we simply love the house for its design and it becomes the house of our heart's dream and sometimes it's because things occur during the building process to make that house extra special. Tracy and I were talking about something like this the other day and how certain kits always excite our Muse no matter how many times we build them which made me look at my dollhouses and think back to what it is about each house that I connected with so deeply.

The Pierce is my "heart's dream" house and was the first kit I bought because I absolutely love its design. My Pierce is my baby and even the second Pierce I built for a customer is one of my favorites. If I had the physical ability to work with a house that big, I'd do another one in a heartbeat and I don't usually build a kit more than once. But the house that I connected with on a deep and intense level while building was the Glencroft. I still remember doing all the timbering with a rich mahogany stain and could probably point out the most beautiful bits of woodgrain without looking. As our Fearless Leader says, "Wood is good." and I think it's my love of wood that made the Glencroft such an amazing house to build. I got in the Zone on that thing so much that I really did forget to eat and sleep.

So what about you? Of all the houses you've built, which ones got into your bloodstream and stayed there? Which kits fascinate you so much that you'd build them again and again? If you've built a lot of houses, do you find that each one reflects a specific part of your personality (whimsical, silly, funny, serious, feminine and girly, etc.) that you don't show much in real life?

Deb

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It might be the Rosedale for me (half scale, of course). My White Rose is almost finished and ready to start decorating, and this was the first build where I made modifications to the house. It was a huge step for me. I've had all these ideas of things I want to do and bashes I have in mind, but I was afraid to try. With the White Rose I did several of the alterations in my vision and I'm very happy with how it is turning out. I only skipped one thing, which was a change to the roof (that I'm keeping secret for the next one, bwahaha).

I've said it before, but it's worth repeating. I think the Rosedale is a "sleeper." It's not super flashy, and you don't notice what a great design it is. But I love it's staircase, and even the kitchen with all the miserable angles. It's a roomy house with all kinds of possibilities. I know I will be building another one in the future :)

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I bet you think I'm going to say The Haunted Heritage. :shifty: But, it's Baslow Ranch. I was trodding along with The Newport at the time, immersed in modern...then the Spring Fling came along. When I first opened the SF kit and put it into dry fit, I said aloud, "What did I get myself into?" My only experience was with mdf, and this thin plywood had a mind of its own at first. :ohmy: A month and a half later, I was overjoyed that I had started and completed my first dollhouse. :D It's the only one at my real life house that's plugged in at all times...the lights come on when I flip the overhead light switch in the second bedroom. :wub:

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The Glencroft was my favorite until I built Maggie. Maggie is my Florida Cracker house and the family that live in her could be decended from post-War Between the States veterans and their families who moved to Florida to run cattle and keep bees for the tupelo honey. I love them both because they are elegant kits. I love my double Fairfields because they were so friendly and chatty. I really want to build a Pierce one day; I spent part of each day unpacking the workshop boxes apologizing to Mildred because she is so far damaged.

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I gotta say it the orchid house I bashed with the mountain Cliff and water effects and my buttercup with the tower and water effects. I'm still working on my storybook but I think it may end up among my favorite ones! Oh and the Pierce! I'll stop now! I think this list will grow too fast lol

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I've only built an Arthur (the porch roof still needs doing), assembled the Lily's shell and am full-steam bashing/painting my Magnolia and GL Lighthouse.

But so far, I'm already in love with the Maggie's personality, simplicity and potential for mischief bashing :D

Deb's Maggie with the skylights is inspirational (and the colour scheme has totally charmed my socks off) and I'm already eyeballing another Maggie - goodness knows why, I guess it must be the love they pack in the box at the GL factory! :bow_arrow:

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I wish I could remember all that I've built but I think the little Madison was a fun build. Another is the Worthington that I never finished the interior of. My favorite was definitely the McKinley. I can't wait to get back to working on the Magnolia since it's at least together now.

You know what I did? I tore out all the lighting of every house I built and removed all the furniture and items inside all of them, boxed everything up and that's how they've remained ever since. What on earth was I thinking???

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Yikes Wendy. You must have been in some really big funk to even rip out the lighting. Hope this is a new beginning. Your builds were always so detailed and perfect. Can't wait to see what you start on this time.

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I bet you think I'm going to say The Haunted Heritage. :shifty: But, it's Baslow Ranch. I was trodding along with The Newport at the time, immersed in modern...then the Spring Fling came along. When I first opened the SF kit and put it into dry fit, I said aloud, "What did I get myself into?" My only experience was with mdf, and this thin plywood had a mind of it's own at first. :ohmy: A month and a half later, I was overjoyed that I had started and completed my first dollhouse. :D It's the only one at my real life house that's plugged in at all times...the lights come on when I flip the overhead light switch in the second bedroom. :wub:

If I am not mistaken, didn't you take first place in that contest. The Baslow Ranch was the project that really drew me into the Spring Fling contest, which I really look forward to, as I enjoy seeing all the builds.

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I didn't build either of my two dollhouses, but I understand completely how a house will "speak" to you. As a result, I formed a special bond with my first house, the one my father built from a Model Homes kit in 1979. I loved the wide country porch, and I loved the country feel of the house, but it lacked some detail on the inside and really played to my imagination.

The Garfield house, which I purchased ready-built had all the detail that was missing from my first house, and I couldn't get it out of my mind. When I first starting thinking of ways to renovate these homes, I thought of how I would want the Garfield wallpapered, etc., but the Country house needed some structural changes to make it the house I envisioned.

Slowly but surely that house kept showing me its potential and how things should be done. It took my ideas and made them better. I still want the Garfield house done, because as you say Deb, we love them all equally, but the renovation process of the Country house transformed my dollhouse experience.

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If I am not mistaken, didn't you take first place in that contest. The Baslow Ranch was the project that really drew me into the Spring Fling contest, which I really look forward to, as I enjoy seeing all the builds.

Yes, I did! :) The SF winner Loganberry Mill is what drew me to this forum. It was before my time here, but I was instantly hooked when I saw that beauty! :yes:

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My absolute favorite will always be my Willowcrest. The Beaumont is a close second. Of the dollhouses I've given away, the one that was hardest to part with was probably the Madison...loved the details on that one. Oh, I love my White Orchid too.

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Yikes..... tough question....

My personal favorite house is my Nottingham. I swear it will never leave my house :)

BUT.....I have more GL houses in my "favorites" list than any other.... I will have to agree with Debora that the Rosedale is a sleeper... and it would be tied as favorite with the Glencroft.... (Ohhhh I sooooo want this in 1/2 scale). I also love the Buttercup, and it's my favorite house to bash.

My favorite GL house I haven't built would have to be a Beacon Hill.... I would build one in an instant if it was in 1/2 scale.

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The most difficult and probably the one closest to my heart is The Lily. The one I had the most fun with was my log cabin where the animals took over after hunting season. The one that turned out the best was my dance studio or the Coventry Cottage. The most whimsical one was the White Orchid or rather the home of Snow White and the Seven dwarfs.

I've had to pack up and store most of my dollhouses, so Wendy I know where you come from, but I don't think I could tear them apart.

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I agree Roxy, the Orchid was the first build I actually finished, well almost, still need to put the porch on and landscape. I am already working on Orchid #2 . I am excited to get back to working on the Pierce, it is my biggest house, until I get my dream build, the Beacon Hill , someday...... :)

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