blacktop crossing Posted November 23, 2020 Share Posted November 23, 2020 Around 35 years ago, "Santa Claus" brought my ~10 year old daughter a Hofco Southern Dynasty dollhouse. Of course, a box of parts for a 10 year old would probably not be as welcomed as a fabricated house -- if only partially. The house was constructed over several (!!) evenings after work at a neighbor's house, to be delivered in time for Christmas. The exterior was essentially completed except for the siding on the peak of the gable. Well, the siding was applied but it was UPSIDE down. There wasn't enough siding material to remove and replace, and at that time no Internet existed to search for properly "spaced" shiplap siding. So, the dollhouse was played with a little, but mostly just sat (through the daughter growing up, a divorce, and a second marriage over 10 years later). Somehow it followed me around and was even involved in a "flood" when a powder room faucet ruptured and managed to "rain" on the floor below which included the dollhouse. Fortunately, some progress had been made over the years and shakes had been applied to the roof. Damage from the flood was minimal since the water mostly ran off the roofing. Daughter now has a daughter approaching 10 years old, so a belated surprise was delivered last May for her 8th birthday! The prior construction had included ribbon wiring and "fake" bricks, but not much else beyond the basic house construction. The last couple of years saw installation of printed wood flooring, some wallpaper, molding for a couple of rooms, windows, shutters, a few lights, painting inside and out, door frames, and completion of the siding. A couple of photos of 35-year old status and recent delivery: 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted November 23, 2020 Share Posted November 23, 2020 What a great story. Nice work! Definitely a house for the ages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 23, 2020 Share Posted November 23, 2020 Good on you, Mack! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FurMama Posted November 23, 2020 Share Posted November 23, 2020 Well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacktop crossing Posted December 29, 2020 Author Share Posted December 29, 2020 A little work on living room fireplace before delivering dollhouse back to granddaughter. Still need to "adjust" wiring for faux candle. Have also added a couple of lights that were absolutely murder to install. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted December 29, 2020 Share Posted December 29, 2020 Pretty chimney breast; I use sandpaper to make my "bricks". I also like the pelmet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacktop crossing Posted December 29, 2020 Author Share Posted December 29, 2020 Thanks, Holly, we've enjoyed "getting it ready" for our granddaughter. They move into their refurbished house today, so maybe the end of the week we'll try to SAFELY move the dollhouse back in. "Bricks" are printed on paper and pasted to balsa wood. Fireplace "surround" is two corbels received from some sort of dollhouse supply company as freebies plus another piece of balsa. "The Wife" thinks it's a bit heavy, painted white, and I might agree but will let the granddaughter decide. All will be stuck lightly in place so modifications will come easy. There's Cir-Kit tape behind the fireplace, so more elaborate "glowing embers" will be a possible upgrade. Never knew what a pelmet was; had to look it up. But pelmet, valance, or cornice, in this case a piece of cardstock cut with a die The Wife uses for greeting cardmaking. We both feel it is a bit deep (vertically) but want the granddaughter to participate in designing her own "curtains" so it's in place as a starting point. We'll add another hanging light in the foyer and maybe a dome light in a bedroom and call it done for now. . . oh, and maybe, just maybe, put some spackling in a crack left from the addition of a bathroom wall. . . . This could NEVER end, if we're not careful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted December 30, 2020 Share Posted December 30, 2020 10 hours ago, blacktop crossing said: . . . This could NEVER end, if we're not careful! It's supposed to end? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacktop crossing Posted December 30, 2020 Author Share Posted December 30, 2020 Good question, and good chuckle; thanks. Yes, this house HAS to be moved to granddaughter's pretty soon. The stress is unbearable. Why would Cir-Kit make light fixtures and connections that have pins that do NOT center in the conductive ribbons?! Even with them installing the pins in a dangling fixture, I cannot get things lined up in the ceiling. The ribbon is hot and a cylindrical fixture (hammer in sort) fits the inserts. But the dangling light does not! However, The Wife has done a great job with pelmet (using a new word I learned). Made sub for living room window; hard to see in photo, but the white outline sets it off. Mantle is temporarily glued to the hearth and chimney breast (never used that description before, either) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted December 30, 2020 Share Posted December 30, 2020 Ah, the joys of architectural and decorative detail! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacktop crossing Posted January 25, 2021 Author Share Posted January 25, 2021 Daughter got her renovated house in good enough order to receive the renovated dollhouse. So, we loaded up the dollhouse and made the 40 minute trip for delivery. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacktop crossing Posted January 25, 2021 Author Share Posted January 25, 2021 We ensured all precautions for COVID-19 "prevention" and didn't meet grandkids face-to-face. Younger sibling of dollhouse "owner" needed to give her grandmother a few instructions through the window pane. Very pleased with dollhouse with the exception that the hangy-down light in the dining area -- which I taped up to make sure it made the journey -- did not light when they hooked up the electricity. DANG! I give Cir-Kit Concepts kudos for responsiveness and service, but I'm still buffaloed by the difficulty I had with these ceiling light fixtures. Parents took the job from here and moved the dollhouse to location in upstairs playroom. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 You did a good job, Grandpa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacktop crossing Posted January 25, 2021 Author Share Posted January 25, 2021 Probably should have been more complete in "story"! When dollhouse was delivered to granddaughter for her 8th birthday last May, that was right before she and her family were moving out for a full renovation of their home. That was to last for several months, so we were asked to keep the dollhouse until their work was competed. So, the dollhouse has been in our den since then. . . which did give me an opportunity to complete some door frames, add a door to the bathroom (only room that has one but figured that was the least I could do), install some lighting (ugh), and a few other items. Their renovations were completed in late December when they moved back in. But with holidays and getting things set back up, we were asked to hold onto the dollhouse for a few more weeks. Today was delivery day!! Eight year old and 5 year old twins all seemed pleased to have it returned. Here it is in place with kitchen appliances and dining table from Christmas gifts in place. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid-life madness Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 (edited) I thoroughly enjoyed your dollhouse story Mack. I think you have created an heirloom for generations to come. Hofco houses are made of such nice materials that it can be rehabbed and upgraded for future children. Make sure to tell your daughter to hold onto it as you have so lovingly done. I hope you signed and dated the bottom, if not, do it once the Covid restrictions are over. Edited January 25, 2021 by Mid-life madness Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacktop crossing Posted January 25, 2021 Author Share Posted January 25, 2021 Thanks, Carrie. I agree about the quality of Hofco houses. I was most amazed at how well parts fit together! I don't think I'll sign it until I get at least one hangy-down light to work reliably And it might be tough to explain how Santa brought the house originally yet Granddad signed it. But I understand the suggestion -- kids will probably not be able to read my signature until they "understand" Santa, anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 Surely the children understand Santa's helpers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid-life madness Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 I stopped using the ceiling adapters and sconce adapters. I am not a patient person, and they always seemed to quit working. I run the chandelier wire up through the ceiling via a tiny hole, which is the floor of the above room. I attached the wires to a tape run on the floor with eyelets and add some solder to the eyelet holes for good luck. For a house that will be used by kids, you might be better off using battery operated lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacktop crossing Posted January 26, 2021 Author Share Posted January 26, 2021 I suppose since Santa "claimed" to be the builder on the Deed, and my granddaughter knows that I've helped finish the house, a signature could be warranted. I believe left-handed "Santa" used her right hand to fill out the deed so writing would not be easily identified. The things we do for our kids -- and Greenleaf posters do the amazing. Too late with battery lights!?!? Used ribbon wire 30+ years ago and will, dang it, continue to show that I CAN do this thing! But I might complain while doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 Mack, when we lived in Jacksonville, FL, the hubs and I owned a bookstore for a few years, and many of our customers were bikers (back when biker gangs were not the good guys most of them are now) and I learned a whole repertoire of *magic* words to assist my builds; when we lived in Outer Mongolia rural Havana, FL, I could raise such a blue cloud over my workroom that all the feral cats for miles around came running to our house to feast on all the poor little stunned birds who happened to be flying overhead when I was building. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacktop crossing Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 Holly, I've tried to avoid too many magic words, but I have had some frustrations. It has been worth it, by and large. The photo shows the kitchen hangy-down light working at its new and permanent home. My daughter tweaked it a bit then asked if the same might work for a new light fixture in her renovated house But here's what's worth it since my daughter didn't get a reasonably finished dollhouse as a kid. When Daughter sent photo of kitchen light working, she mentioned this was a new arrangement of appliances and even showed my a photo of the fridge with food inside. Daughter says, "I think I might play for a bit." So, she's getting to enjoy HER dollhouse that has been renovated for her daughter. Who'd a thunk?! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 Mack, I also play with my dollhouses, and I'm 79. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qubanqtee Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 what a great story! and a beautiful gift of love! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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