FloridaCrafter Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 Hi Everyone, Weather has been lovely down this way lately :) I've been a crafter, pseudo artist since I was a child. While I have completed about 10 dollhouse "kits", I have never started from scratch like the Greenleaf designs are. Hoping I can get some great tips from these blogs. Looking forward to showing you my progress! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid-life madness Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 Welcome Carol . Which kit are you working on? Watching everyone's builds is almost as fun as doing the actual build. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaCrafter Posted May 13, 2020 Author Share Posted May 13, 2020 Hi Mid-life! I have the Orchid, and have practically no idea on how to proceed. Did find a great blog entitled More Mini Houses that goes through the process so I am getting more comfortable with starting. While I have made many mini house kits (other companies), they provided everything and pictured step by step instructions. I will check out your blog too! Thanks. I have a gazxillion questions! Where should I post these? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid-life madness Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 More minis is a great blog, there is Orchid builders blog on this site as well, but since the update, I cannot seem to find it. The instructions can be vague. Do you have this copy? https://secure.img1-fg.wfcdn.com/docresources/6202/75/752995.pdf You can ask questions on this thread, but it might be better to start another thread for support as this is on the New Member's intro. That way people who might have similar questions can find the answers easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 Welcome to the little family, Carol. There are two Team Orchid building blogs, but as Carrie says, finding them can be a challenge. I'm starting the Lily and did a search in the blogs section to find the Team Lily building blog. When you start your build you can post your progress and questions here: https://forum.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/28-corona-concepts-dollhouses/ and you can ask more general questions here: https://forum.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/41-general-mini-talk/ When I start a kit the first thing I do when I open the box is to find the clear acetate sheet with the door and window inserts and put it between the Warm-Up sheet pages and set it beside the box. Then I read over the instructions, checking parts with the schematics sheet, and then lay the instructions on top of the Warm-Up sheet. Next I lay the schematics sheet on top of the instructions and go through the plywood sheets in the box, comparing them to the schematics sheet and going over the numerals on the plywood sheet with a black Sharpie pen or soft pencil and stacking the plywood sheets in the box in numerical order. I put a brand new blade in my utility knife, grab a couple of emery boards and staple a fresh piece of sandpaper onto my sanding block and grab my roll of blue painter's tape (masking tape will do the job as well) and with the instructions sheet beside me I start putting parts together with the tape, NOT gluing anything. This is called dry fitting, and it is when I shave or sand the slots and tapes for a more perfect fit, if needed. Once I have outside walls and floors together I let it sit there and tell me what it wants to look like. Then I take it apart and prime what will be painted or papered and stain what needs staining. I also cut a lot of my tape into 1/4" wide strips and mask off pl.aces I'll want to glue because bare wood adheres MUCH better to bare wood; I have built a kit or two and that's one of the many, many things I've learned the hard way (another is not to prime anything I wanted to stain...). I am not able to control a paint brush precisely enough to install windows and doors until after I have decorated the walls. This is probably more than you wanted to know. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaCrafter Posted May 14, 2020 Author Share Posted May 14, 2020 Thanks so much Queen of Spackle! This is awesome info and I really appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaCrafter Posted May 14, 2020 Author Share Posted May 14, 2020 Thanks Mid-Life! No, I didn't have those instructions. The one I have is VERY vague! This will really help since it has images. Much appreciated. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qubanqtee Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 Hi Carol, welcome to the forum...I've never built the Orchid, but have one in kit.....as you can see there's lots of great people and information here so anytime you're stumped you can always ask for help, someone here is bound to have the knowledge or advice you're looking for! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 Carol, where in FL are you? If you're near Orlando there's Ron's on W Colonial Drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaCrafter Posted May 24, 2020 Author Share Posted May 24, 2020 Hi havanaholly, I'm in the Bradenton area, but do go to Orlando once in a while. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Island-Shack Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 On 5/24/2020 at 5:28 PM, FloridaCrafter said: Hi havanaholly, I'm in the Bradenton area, but do go to Orlando once in a while. Thanks! Hello and welcome, from Fort Myers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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