White Orchid -- Builders and Tips

[Blondie]

Dalesq has been asking some good questions about the White Orchid here: http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=35994 I also have this kit! Although I'm personally not scheduled to build it until fall 2015, I'd love to collect information and ideas along with Dalesq now. Information regarding glues, tips, etc. Also, some of the links to previous White Orchid builds are broken. If you've built one, could you please add the link to your gallery/photos in this thread? That would be incredibly helpful!!

THANK YOU!!!!!!

[Dalesq]

Great idea Blondie. My travels through the forum yesterday revealed an old, old post that was from 2006 when the kit was first released as a contest prize

But as you say, the link to the albums of the community build was completely lost.

[KathieB]

Here's the link to my White Orchid Blogspot entries. As with all blogs. the most recent is first and you have to scroll down and hit the Older Posts button to continue backwards to the beginning. There are 23 entries. This 1:12 house got semi-bashed to become a 1:24 home and workshop for five elves. The only structural change was to make a new stairway out of contractor's foam that also holds a niche for the oven and hides the battery pack for the lighting. Although the doors and windows and ceiling heights remained 1:12, it works.

I had a giggle reading back through the blog. I'd forgotten the boys' escapade with the still. Even elf boys will be boys ...

[Dalesq]

Thanks KathieB! Your WO is a lot of fun and I like your staircase mod.

[chesterfieldzoo]

It's difficult to glue. Even using the E6000, I have had to reglue several things back on.

I used every scrap I could for moldings, decorative accents to cover tab holes and various other trims and edgings. I used a bandsaw for cutting. I used an orbital sander to smooth all the edges. It worked quite well. I hand sanded smaller pieces.

http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/index.php?app=gallery&album=484

http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/index.php?app=gallery&album=877

[Dalesq]

..... I used an orbital sander to smooth all the edges. It worked quite well. I hand sanded smaller pieces.

You had to sand the edges?

[Selkie]

I remember liking this one too. It is by IAK (Irene). She made the WO into a wedding chapel.

[Selkie]

Here is Peggi's.

Here is Ms. Mini"s

Here is Wenlaine's

Here is Deb's

[KathieB]

You had to sand the edges?

Maybe the altered pieces needed to be sanded? I didn't have to do any sanding on the kit pieces. One of the joys of working with this kit is how smooth and silky the pieces are. And after I started using the E-6000, I didn't have any problems gluing. Not sure why somebody else had problems.

[KathieB]

All of the links so far show some houses with colored trim, some white-on-white. Does anyone recall the member who painted hers black?

[Blondie]

All of the links are much appreciated! WHEE.

[havanaholly]

All of the links so far show some houses with colored trim, some white-on-white. Does anyone recall the member who painted hers black?

I've been wracking my brain ever since the WO subject came up, trying to remember who it was; one of our European members, but with the search feature no longer working in the Gallery I'm stumped! Was it Louise?

[chesterfieldzoo]

You don't HAVE to do any sanding as it is mostly smooth. I just wanted the edges to be smoother than what they were as I used pieces for trim on the outside back. As I recall the house was die cut so the edges had a ridge and I sanded it flat.

[chesterfieldzoo]

MiniMadWoman: http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/index.php?app=gallery&album=490

And another album with same above house: http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/index.php?app=gallery&album=620

Jet's (BLACK) white orchid: http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/index.php?app=gallery&album=615

[KathieB]

MiniMadWoman: http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/index.php?app=gallery&album=490

The above link is to the build. There is another album with the interior of the Three Blind Mice cottage.

Thanks for the link to Jet's black White Orchid. I wish she had posted some interior shots. The link to her blog doesn't seem to be working.

[KathieB]

havanaholly: http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/index.php?app=gallery&album=938

[havanaholly]

Thank you for the link to Jet's build, Deana; I wracked my brain ever since this topic started, trying to remember whose the black one was!

[chesterfieldzoo]

Those were all the houses I could find. There may be more newer ones since the house was listed for purchase in later years.

[Dalesq]

Thank you everyone, for all of these links! It's really interesting to see what everyone did with this house. I was particularly interested to see how the interiors were handled too

[Dalesq]

OMG! It's here in my hot little hands! Thank you again Emily

I just had to open the box and look at it. I'm not completely sure what I'm going to do on the inside (the exterior will be white, of course), but I'm thinking about it and what I want to do with it

I love the white finish of the material. Sigh...so pretty :wub:

[chesterfieldzoo]

Do you have a theme for it? When I saw the house I thought of clouds, which is why one of mine is a house in the clouds. The other one made me think of white coral in the ocean. I am not sure what to do with the others.

[Dalesq]

Do you have a theme for it? When I saw the house I thought of clouds, which is why one of mine is a house in the clouds. The other one made me think of white coral in the ocean. I am not sure what to do with the others.

You have more kits?!!!!

[Dalesq]

I don't have a theme yet. I'm sure it will come to me when I start dry fitting if not beforehand. The house is rumbling and ready to go. I'm considering electrical for this one, so I'm moving slowly and carefully. I could use battery lights and may, but I have a couple of nice lights that require 12v that I might want to use so I don't know yet.

Looking at all the pics of the houses that you all have done really helps. So thanks again

[chesterfieldzoo]

I liked that the wires from what I used were white. They blended in pretty well. By cutting strips to edge the outside of the walls and second floor, I was able to hide the wires there.

And yes, I have 4 white orchids. 2 built, 2 still in the box.

[Dalesq]

This kit is really calling! I've got to clean up and organize first!