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Monday, May 30, 2011

Building The Un Haunted Dollhouse Kit


Please follow along with my blog on building the Greenleaf Dollhouse Kit called The Haunted House Kit. I was asked by the owners of Greenleaf Dollhouses Company to build all of their kits about a year or so after they asked me to become the Admin of their forum because they knew I loved their product and they knew I had built many of them. They also loved the way I "Saw" their kits. I always saw beyond what was on the box cover and I love to inspire others to do the same. My theory is, think outside the box. I do that with everything in life. 

I am moving some of my build blogs over to this blog to try and keep things in one place.
I get questions about a blog I did and to be honest, because I have built so many houses, I forget sometimes "where" I blogged something at. Hopefully this will help my Miniature Dollhouse friends and also some of my clients who have started building houses on their own.

Thank You for stopping by to read my blog!

07 September 2005
Posted by Minis On The Edge
 It's Here Day One

I was so excited to get this kit. This is one of those kits that can be done MANY different ways. As a matter of fact, I plan on doing two of these. They are Quick to build & easy to Edit. Also, I don't see this house being a "Haunted House" As usual, I see it being a stone house but with a twist. I've been wanting to create a Mountain base for the next Kit I built and I decided to share it with you!



I decided to create a Cave under the house. This house will sit on a Mountain Cliff base. First, I started building the house.




I decided I did not like the Window Grids so I cut them out: 


I also decided to do some "Kit bashing" (editing the kit) and create a base by using materials I had on hand. Some people are afraid to use Foam Board because they think it is not sturdy enough. I like it because it is light weight and I can cut it with my hobby knife.






I added the walls. It will add another 9 inches to the height and 17 inches wide and 11" deep.



I used Grill scewers (grocery store item) to add the side walls to the front wall. This will help keep this base in place while the glue dries.



I pushed it in about 3 or four inches and cut the exposed parts off with my east cutter.I then took those Drink Holders you get from Mcdonalds and cut them up and glued them on the base. I also use tape till the glue dried. I used a hot glue gun after a while because this will NOT come off after I am finished.




I decided to add stairs to the side of the house I cut seven 2" x 2" (approx.) pieces and hot glued them on. The clay and plaster strips with give it extra strength.




 After looking at this I decided there needed to be an entry way into the base so I cut out a opening:


 This is the inside so far: 


07 September 2005
Posted by Minis On The Edge
Day One Part 2 (late night)


I mentioned I was going to use plaster strips all over the base before I add the paper clay. So I started by cutting the strips first. You can buy this stuff at Hobby Lobby or any train supply store


You need a bowl of hot water & and a 1" paint brush & scissors too. I used a plastic bowl because it is easier to just throw it away when I am finished. You can not use it for food after using it for this purpose.


Cut strips then dip them in HOT water from the faucet. Then smooth out the strips with a paint brush 




This is the end of my Day one. Remember, dare to make your miniature dreams come true!!


This ends Day one of my building the Haunted House Kit by Greenleaf Dollhouses. Thank you for stopping by to read my Blog!! Thought of the Day ~ Those unwilling to dream ... shall not waken.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Westville Dollhouse Build Completed with Pictures


30 September 2006

Posted by Minis On The Edge
The Last Day
Today, I woke up with butterflies in my stomach! I can't believe this house is almost completed! I have to add clay to the base, flowers, and grass & trees and have it done TODAY!! 

I am so worried about accomplishing this. This house MUST ship Monday which means it has to be at the Pack N Mail place Tomorrow!

Well I started with the grass lawn and added it in some places. I then added paper clay because it takes a while to dry. I sculpted stone in the back foundation and fed the lead in wire through it. I also added clay to the chimney!




At 1:00 am, things were dry enough for me to paint. You gotta look at tomorrows blog to see it :huh: . I am Done!!!


30 September 2006 

Posted by Minis On The Edge
(Pictures Of Completed House)

I am so in love with this house! My customer is a Dream. She is so easy to please and she has been so kind the entire ride. I posted pictures every night and she always told me how much she likes it. I was so worried at first about if I would be finished in time and would she like.....Well as of today, she still has not seen the completed pictures but I found out that this is a gift from her AND her sisters!

This will be a gift for there mother's 80th Birthday and they promised to send me pictures of the event! I hope their mother love the house and find much delight in shopping for furniture and carpets for it.

Okay, I'll shut up and let you see the pictures. Tell me what you think of the house!! I painted the clay green to look like grass! 







It took me only 12 days total to complete the entire house. This is with me doing the regular things I have to do in life so this was not me working on the house all day every day. This blog was created to encourage those who love the looks of Greenleaf Kits but, once they open the box, they feel that the kit is too hard because they see all of the parts. Remember, by an inch, it's a cinch. By a Yard, it hard. Take it one step at a time and you can have a Fabulous house!

To see more detailed pictures of this dollhouse build, please click on the picture below.

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Thank you for viewing my blog~ Tracy 

Westville Dollhouse Build (Day 6 - 11)


30 September 2006 (Day six)
Posted by Minis On The Edge
"Houston, we have a problem"

Well, I talked to my customer on the phone and she did not picture the trim to be Hunter green around the windows. She wants it white. I am so worried because too many coats of paint can make an item look sloppy and because the green IS dark, I will have multiple layers on painted to prime and cover the dark color :huh: .

She only wants the shutters Hunter Green Well, I guess I missed that detail :huh: so today I started doing that. I also decided to add the shutters to the house (That's right more punching out wood pieces and sanding them and painting them) but the effect is WONDERFUL!! I Love the stark white background and then the shutters on top :lol: 





She also wanted me to make a wood fireplace for the living room and she wants window seats where the bays are. I think it will really add that special touch to this house!

I added paperclay and sculpted the bricks for the inside of the fireplace.




30 September 2006 (Day Seven)
Posted by Minis On The Edge
Fireplace Completed


Well today I painted the fireplace and I also added burning embers to it so that there will be a nice warm glow! 

 Here is one of it lit up



I also added the roof parts today! I am as a little busy bee



I don't like the gaps showing up in between the roof line and the siding. Though it is glued down correctly, it just don't look clean I can't have that :huh: So I added some wood strips. You can see one on the left side and the right side has not been added yet. I will paint this white too.  



30 September 2006 (Days 8 & 9)
Posted by Minis On The Edge
I have an Owie

My hobby knife decided to bite me hard today on my right thumb!!! Sheesh, why does these things happen when I cannot afford a delay? I also spent a while the other day in the doctors office with Rachel because she has strep throat again! The doctor treated me for it too so we are both on meds :huh: .

Moving right along anyway, I took a day off and waited a day to start working back on the house. I did this because I was feeling lousy and it takes 24 hours after you start meds to not be contagious.  I added window seats, the stair rail and more trim (to make the wallpapered rooms look more manicured ) and the closet door & front door and trim Ohh my!

I even started on the shingles! I have decided to move the position of the chimney since the fireplace is in between the two living room windows, I thought the chimney should be there also. B) My customer says so far she is so pleased with the house. She has no idea how much she is encouraging me! Every night I go to bed, I look at the list of things that still need to be done and I feel I will NEVER get it done in time!! The good thing is normally, I work well under pressure.

I only blogged this because I wanted to show everyone what determination can lead you too. Besides going crazy, you can end up with a fully completed house built, painted, electrified AND wallpapered with a base in a matter of days (not weeks or months or years) :lol: :lol:

This shot show the inside. 


I am pleased at the time of taking this picture . When I downloaded it on the computer, I noticed the walls look unfinished and shabby! I can't have that happening now, so do I run to hobby lobby AGAIN? Of course! :lol:

The window seats are removable just in case my customer wants to change the fabric.


 Shingles were started before I dozed off to sleep



I also decided to Check to be sure that all of the lights are still working before I go to sleep.



30 September 2006 (Day 10)
Posted by Minis On The Edge
Calling All Shingles

 I added all of the shingles today and added clay to the foundation of the house (Three sides) I fed all of the wires to the bottom of the house so that a Power strip could be used OR you could add a strip of tape wire and solder the hardwire to the tape wire (I will show this on my next house). For this house, I used a power strip because of the time constraints . I am loving it though! I also added the Chimney! Notice in the picture that some of the shingles are different colors naturally. This will not be a problem once they are stained. You will see that in the end.







30 September 2006 (Day 11)
Posted by Minis On The Edge
The Base and Touch Ups

  Well today is a challenge! I still have the base to do. My Customer wants this house to have the appearance of a lawn on the base and I am thinking up a good way to create this effect using paper clay.

Mean while, I did touch up paint, checked all lights again and stained all of the shingles! I have to have this house at the Pack N Mail place on Friday! I think I will have it done on time  


I could sit and stare in the house all night! Lights make the house look so real!



I even started playing with my dolls just to see what it would look like with "life" added to the house



This is Anna coming up the stairs (which is carpeted with plush hunter green carpet)


On the porch


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