Hi From Boston!

[sweetlyburied]

Hi Everyone,

My name is Olivia, I'm a 22 year old college student from Boston! I've always wanted a Victorian dollhouse of my own, ever since I read "The Doll People" series by Ann M. Martin as a child (definitely recommend if you have any children in your life or even for adults, I think the series holds up pretty well!). And now that I have my own money, I decided that there's nothing stopping me from making one!

I have one of those room miniature kits that I'm going to start soon, just to get some practice and make sure that I like it before I commit to buying a more expensive kit. When I was maybe 11 or 12, I painted and rehabbed a pretty basic dollhouse from the 1980s, but it didn't come out that great. I'm hoping to repaint it if I can rescue it from my grandmother's house. 

I'm debating whether to start off with a Beacon Hill or a McKinley, I really adore the Beacon Hill but the McKinley seems like much more easy "starter home". What do you think?

[havanaholly]

Welcome to the little family, Olivia.  Start off with the house that calls your name and starts to tell you its story.

[Mid-life madness]

Welcome Olivia,

The Beacon Hill is a great house.

What type of room kit did you get? I have been curious about them and now they sell them at Hobby Lobby.

[KathieB]

15 hours ago, sweetlyburied said:

I really adore the Beacon Hill but the McKinley seems like much more easy "starter home". What do you think?

Choosing a first house is a personal choice. As Holly says, pay attention to which one is calling out to you. If you could save only one of these kits from a fire, which would it be? You'd think your basic skill set with hand tools would figure into it but your level of patience is more important. Skills can be developed. Questions can be answered here by a large pool of skilled miniaturists. No question is too silly to ask -- if you are confused, then probably someone else is as well and can benefit from the responses.

There is no issue that hasn't been faced and resolved by somebody. What's really neat is that there is often more than one solution to a challenge, so you can choose the one most comfortable for you. Keep in mind that there is not one way to build a doll house.  Do what makes sense to you. If it doesn't work, there is always a way to fix it.  

Edited November 1, 2020 by KathieB

[havanaholly]

Bob Ross says there are no mistakes, only "happy accidents"; I prefer to call them "learning opportunities"; I have amassed a sizeable collection of how NOT to do things.

[sweetlyburied]

Thank you all, you have been so friendly!

@havanaholly, I think I will start with the Beacon Hill, then! And I would love your tips on what not to do, I make plenty of mistakes as it is!

@Mid-life madness I would tell you what brand the room kit is, but now that I looked for it, I can't find it! It was something off Amazon. I think it was a bedroom with a loft.

@KathieBThank you for the advice! I will keep that in mind!

[havanaholly]

First off, don't use hot glue top build your kit (many of the instructions were written back when the writer thought that hot glue was a good way to put these kits together; it isn't).  Invest in rolls of masking taape or painter's tape and use it to dry fit your kit.  In addition to sanding or shaving your slots & tabs for a more precise fit putting it together without gluiung lets you see if you understand the instructions; I often find I have to build it backwards or in some other order to get things to fit together and to see if there are any spaces you will need to decorate before they're glued together and you'll never get your hands in there to decorate (I found this out the hard way...).  Once it looks right put together with tape you can go back and use carpenter's wood glue to stick it together.