Out of Practice

[jenr627]

I have built a bunch of mini homes but I think the last one I did was over 4 years ago.  I really want to get back into it, I have tons of kits that I have great ideas for but I am feeling a little panic.  I just have not done this in so long I feel like I am going to screw it up somehow.  Starting with a Buttercup cottage for a 4 year old relative.  Looking for some good tips and maybe a few words of encouragement!

Thanks!

Jen in NJ

[KathieB]

Hey, Jen!   Welcome back to the craft. Not to worry. It's like riding a bike. There may be a few wobbles initially, but you'll be sailing smoothly in no time.

For a 4-year-old, I'd suggest painting the roof instead of putting on shingles and not putting the clear plastic inserts in the windows. Little kids like to reach their little hands through the window while they play. I would use a staple gun to reinforce the corners and maybe add a square dowel in each inside corner against the time that she or one of her friends realizes it is the right height to use as a step to get up on the dresser or some other just-out-of-reach place where they should not be.*

I would  use satin finish house paint on the house, especially on the interior. Satin is general the finish on the sample paints. It's not terribly hard to clean off crayon and marking pens and stickers. I definitely would not use wallpaper. For the floors, I'd either paint or stain and use a clear coat of some kind, again to help the inevitable cleanup that will have to happen. I wouldn't worry about lovely furnishings or even designating the use for each room. You'll likely find a horse in the bathroom and the commode may end up in what you thought was the living room. It's a toddler thing. 

*I have heard the doting grandma mantra: "Oh, she is very careful with her things. She would never ..." Uh huh. Maybe not while you are looking. And I would bet dollars to donuts that she has some friends who are not quite as civilized as she is.  

[Debsrand56]

Great advice, Kathie.  I was thinking, if you wanted to give the house the look of shingles without actually putting on shingles (which can so easily be pried off and/or broken), you could always use a stencil.   https://www.designerstencils.com/Swag-All-Over-Cookie-and-Craft-Stencil-P14997.aspx  This is for cakes and cookies but can also be used with paint for other craft projects.

[Elsbeth]

1 hour ago, Debsrand56 said:

Great advice, Kathie.  I was thinking, if you wanted to give the house the look of shingles without actually putting on shingles (which can so easily be pried off and/or broken), you could always use a stencil.   https://www.designerstencils.com/Swag-All-Over-Cookie-and-Craft-Stencil-P14997.aspx  This is for cakes and cookies but can also be used with paint for other craft projects.

This is a great idea - I never got over my shingle-phobia, so I have a Glencroft with 3 rows of shingles before I ran away screaming - I'm going to pry them off and paint the d!@# roof!

thanks for the inspiration!

[havanaholly]

I would also take a small saw and saw off the cross pieces in the window openings and sand the edges smooth, and once the house is together but before painting, go over all the rough edges with a bit of spackling compound or joint compound on your finger to smooth them.

[jenr627]

Thank you all so much for your advice!  I will definitely be implementing these tips when I start my build.  I love the stencil instead of the shingles.  While I have done the shingle thing, I don't think a 4 year old is going to care much about actual shingles.  Every toy of every size is going to end up in this house I know it!  She's a little beast :)

[Island-Shack]

Hi Jen! What a perfect house for a 4 yr old. I have one in the box waiting for me to make as a bakery :-). As far as some inspiration.... I walked away from building for a year and a half, one day I got on a binge on Pinterest looking at dollhouses, furniture, tutorials etc and it made me get up and start crafting again. It was great inspiration and all the sudden I had idea's swirling around in my head and wanted to get to work.