CutnStuf Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 Hello All, CutnStuf here! But everybody calls me Cut, for short. My name comes from another hobby which is collecting old pocket knives. As the were used for "cutting stuff" I just shortened it to "Cut n Stuf". Anyway, Me and my wife were just recently re-introduced to dollhouses and miniatures and visited a shop here called, "Norm's Dollhouse" and had a wonderful visit with the folks there. About 20 years ago, we built our first and only house which upon completion was given to a friend's daughter as a gift. We're now both retired and were thinking about something we could do together and low and behold, the idea of mini's came to us. The past couple of weeks we've been doing a lot of searching on line as well as locally, and we're both real excited to get started. We've been looking around here at Greenleaf and see there are a lot of nice folks and good information to help us on the path. We're looking forward to our time here. Cut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Summersethomes Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 hello and welcome to the forum, I hope you find a great project to start on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbnmini Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 Welcome to our little family, Cut! Love your area of Colorado! Will be watching to see what project the two of you decide upon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CheckMouse Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 Welcome to the Greenleaf family, Cut and DW (Dear Wife). So glad you found us, and so glad you are getting back into miniatures. It's a wonderful, stress-relieving hobby - and there is no end to its fascination. :welcome: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgreenstreet Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 (edited) Hello & welcome to the forum neighbor! Edited November 5, 2014 by kgreenstreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraftyMtnMom Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Welcome! So glad you made your way here. There is a saying that I copied from the website for Norm's Dollhouse (I believe that's the site I got it from). It's titled "Warning - Miniature Pox". It's a favorite of mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CutnStuf Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share Posted November 6, 2014 Thanks to all for the warm welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenniferKennedy Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Welcome Cut & Mrs Cut ;) What a wonderful hobby to share with each other! Get ready to lose some sleep! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Welcome to the little family, Art & wife. Are you building one of Norm's kits one of Greenleaf's kits, or scratch building? My DH got me started and abets me with tools and suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CutnStuf Posted November 7, 2014 Author Share Posted November 7, 2014 Actually, we've been scouring the internet reading everything we can find. Looks like we have a lot to learn. From what I gather, we should probably start off with a simple build to gather some experience and work our way up from there. Any suggestions on a kit, anybody? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraftyMtnMom Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Well, you've already built one. Do you happen to remember what it was? Or have pictures of it? We love eye-candy (pictures) on here! My first build was a Heritage. So, starting small is not a per-requisite, but if you want to start small and simple there are many to choose from. The smallest I have built was a puzzle house kit from Micheal's that is an 'Arthur' knockoff in half scale. I have a Sweetheart kit in my stash that will become a dinosaur home for a little girl for this Christmas, but I haven't started that yet. The Sweetheart is a smaller dollhouse when built. For other smaller houses, there is also the Storybook Cottage and I think there is a cabin and I know there is a travel trailer (that is on my wish list). There quite a few others, too. If you check here - http://shop.greenleafdollhouses.com/Greenleaf.html- there are some cute smaller houses as well. Quite a few of them I'd like to build. My point is to choose what calls to you/your hearts. It makes it much easier when the house calls to you and tells you what it wants. You just need to take a little time and listen to it. It will tell you. I understand wanting to begin small/simple and work up, but sometimes it's a bigger house that calls to us and solidifies our beginnings in our addiction. You might want to check your local Craigslist for dollhouses. Just type 'dollhouse' or 'doll house' in the search bar. You might find a kit or partially built house with all the parts that someone near you has cheap and then you folks can just 'play' with that as a learning experience while you search for the perfect house to build for you folks, if that's what you prefer. I actually think that is a good idea (starting simple and working up)...if the house(s) agree. I started my building/obsession mid-sized and went down in size (sort of). Good luck. We all look forward to seeing what you choose and what you do with your choice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Start small? If only... My first two kits were three-story Dura-Crafts, so by the time I discovered Greenleaf I had learned a huge amount from all my mistakes. If you take your build one step at a time and don't be afraid to take your time, do dry fits and listen to the kit, you will do just fine. You will be much happier building the monster that calls your name than a littler kit just because it's little; unless you find after the littler kit's done that it needs to be bashed onto a larger kit... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Hello, and :welcome: to the forum1 Actually, we've been scouring the internet reading everything we can find. Looks like we have a lot to learn. From what I gather, we should probably start off with a simple build to gather some experience and work our way up from there. Any suggestions on a kit, anybody? The thing about dollhouses is that they are generally forgiving -- in other words, it you mess up ... uhhh, get to a sticking point, you'll figure out a way to overcome the challenge. Post the problem here and you'll get a dozen or more suggestions for a solution. You can "work your way up" on a big house as well as a small one and will have a lovely showpiece when you're finished. Get the kit that speaks to you, no matter what size it is. The only caveat regarding size might be that you need to be sure that you can get it out of the room you build it in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 If you listen carefully the kit will tell you how to make whatever it is that it wants. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Large kits can take from 6 months to years to build and decorate. I started small at first. I was afraid I would have lost interest or got frustrated with a large house if it had been my first. Plus this hobby can get expensive. I needed a quick sense of accomplishment at first..plus I needed confidence in myself to take on a large project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CutnStuf Posted November 7, 2014 Author Share Posted November 7, 2014 Mrs. Cutnstuf here. Otherwise known as Susan....Thanks so much for all your kind welcomes! Art and I were just talking and wondering what's the difference between die cut and laser cut. Is one better then the other? What do you like the best?? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Die cut is stamped with a steel die. They sometimes need coaxing to release from the panel. The stamping action crushes the wood a bit and the pieces need to be sanded and sometimes filled with wood putty or Spackle or an equivalent to smooth them out. It needs more prep time than laser cut kits. Laser cut pieces come out with nice smooth edges, although they are singed from the heat of the laser. The dark brown edges can be lightly sanded off or covered with paint. The pieces need less adjustment in the fitting stage. I'd recommend the laser cut if you find a house that sings to you, but don't be put off if the kit that hollers your name comes only in die cut. Most of us have been building die cut kits successfully for years. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CutnStuf Posted November 7, 2014 Author Share Posted November 7, 2014 Die cut is stamped with a steel die. They sometimes need coaxing to release from the panel. The stamping action crushes the wood a bit and the pieces need to be sanded and sometimes filled with wood putty or Spackle or an equivalent to smooth them out. It needs more prep time than laser cut kits. Laser cut pieces come out with nice smooth edges, although they are singed from the heat of the laser. The dark brown edges can be lightly sanded off or covered with paint. The pieces need less adjustment in the fitting stage. I'd recommend the laser cut if you find a house that sings to you, but don't be put off if the kit that hollers your name comes only in die cut. Most of us have been building die cut kits successfully for years. KathieB, Thanks for your input. I was thinking exactly the same as I'm a little familiar with die cutting of other materials. Seems to me that preping the components wouldn't be too big a deal as I'm pretty handy, and also it seems that would be a part of the fun of the project. And anyway, we're in no big rush to complete the project. Cut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgreenstreet Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Start small? If only... My first two kits were three-story Dura-Crafts, so by the time I discovered Greenleaf I had learned a huge amount from all my mistakes. If you take your build one step at a time and don't be afraid to take your time, do dry fits and listen to the kit, you will do just fine. You will be much happier building the monster that calls your name than a littler kit just because it's little; unless you find after the littler kit's done that it needs to be bashed onto a larger kit... I agree with havanaholly. My very first kit was also a large Dura-Craft kit. Buy the house that inspires both of you regardless of size. Mistakes! No! I prefer to call them modifications! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 "Mistakes" is another word for "learning opportunities". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CutnStuf Posted November 8, 2014 Author Share Posted November 8, 2014 Well, I think we got it narrowed down to either "The Arthur" or "The Orchid". Anybody have experience building either of these. We'd appreciate you're thoughts on these. Also, is it recommended to do all the interior and exterior paintings, floor covering like tile or parquet, before assembling the shell? Cut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 8, 2014 Share Posted November 8, 2014 I have built both kits for the building team blogs; I have also built the plastic version of the Orchid and I have the Arthur in 1:24 waiting to be built. Both are nice little four room houses, if that floats your boat. The Orchid offers optional wall placement and a bay window. I prime the walls and any floors I'm going to finish other than wood, carefully masking off the places where I'll need to glue pieces together, or to glue on door or window trim. I do NOT install doors or windows until after all the decorating's done, after the build. I prep floors and ceilings before I build (I don't electrify my houses; it doesn't thrill me enough to make the expense worth while); I scribe "boards" directly into the kit plywood for floors and stain and finish them, and I paint the ceilings and add the ceiling roses or other embellishments. I decorate as I go; assemble bay parts and stain/ paint/ paper them and install windows or doors, assemble the shell and paint/ paper the downstairs, install interior window trim and bays; then add the second floor and repeat until I'm ready to add the roof. That's when I finish off the exterior and hang the windows and doors, then pop the roof on last. There are people who decorate first and people who wait to decorate the finished house. It all depends on what's comfortable for you as the builder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted November 8, 2014 Share Posted November 8, 2014 Many of us cut our teeth on the Orchid. If you do a search in the Gallery, you'll find many examples. It lends itself to almost unlimited possibility, from a simple cottage to an elaborate fantasy villa, with many stops in between. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debra from Olde Cape Cod Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Plus, if you have a Hobby Lobby nearby, you can use a coupon and get the Orchid way cheaper! (Sorry, Yankee at heart LOL!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CutnStuf Posted November 11, 2014 Author Share Posted November 11, 2014 We use Michael's. There is a Hobby Lobby nearby, but we don't support their political views and so, we don't support their bottom line either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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