Half Scale #Dollhouse Update 5 - Ta-Dah!

 

Ta-Dah!!! Not completely done, but - the roof is finished. (That's 3 1/2 bags @400 shingles plus a few extra - over 1,200+ shingles!) Not counting the front shingles, of course. Trim  added on tower edges.  Yay!!! (click photos for full size.) The front board is glued on the bottom for the patio and gardens. The house is 24 1/2" wide and 18" h, not including the chimney.

Keep in mind, the green shutters go on front yet, along with window boxes and some fencing on the top deck edges. I know, it's colorful, maybe a little busy, but I like color and didn't want a plain Jane house! I'm also going to do some touch-ups yet on the roof with brown paint where the stain didn't take right. (The little sun and the metallic strip are metal-look stickers from the Dollar Tree.  There's another one next to the deck door.) I forgot to add a wreath on the deck door, too, and I'll have some hanging flowers, also. 

Happy how the chimney came out. That didn't take long once hubby, construction manager/builder, got the big, real-life saw out to cut the angle. 

Then there's the back trim to glue on all the wall edges yet and a couple inside trim pieces I missed. So, it's almost done! The front yard, I'm thinking of doing a flat sheet of patio brick once I paint it, with some bushes, we'll have a few pole lights and some seasonal flower beds that I can change out. Decided not to do a full porch but we'll add a couple steps and maybe a small railing on each side.

Hard to believe when I look back, how far we've gotten on the Half Scale Dollhouse since this first post from January.  (You can see the last post here or check other posts in the archive in the left column.)

So far... the kitchen.  I found this piece of white bumpy paper that'll work well for the front of the pieces under the frames. Then I have to paint the teensy pieces for the knobs and handles, and marble the top counters. 

So, that's it for now! Thanks again for stopping by! I have quite a few kits to make yet, so working on that, too. 

The fun of this project is trying to come up with things that are different.

The den's bookshelves are turning out pretty cool! Made a window seat to go between them. Always wanted to do that! So far... have to add some games and more albums, etc. I'll add more bookshelves in other rooms. I get tired of making books, but I like how they loiok!

Sorry for the crooked pic. The mailbox I got in a past Half Scale group swap was a great touch. (Have to add some numbers on the top yet, and a wreath on the door!) 

That's it for now. Thanks again for stopping by! Stay tuned for more updates!

Half Scale #Dollhouse Update 4 Shingles!

 

The latest - some "small" updates! Shingles! (Not the kind on TV!)  (Click photos for full size. Find recent posts in archive in left column.) ** On the last few rows on the back side now. Almost done!!!

Yeah, never, say never. Ha! I wanted the asphalt shingles but the construction guy chose the wood. He's doing the shingling, so this is where we're at so far. Mixing the styles (and hoping we have enough!) Nearly used one bag (400 shingles) of square ones so far.

You see a peek of the trim in the photo above, so here's a look at the windows with the top trim. I'll be adding light green/sage shutters on the front windows yet. Have to add thin gold trim on the tower yet but no shutters. I like how they turned out so far. They're painted a pine green with gold over it.

Nothing too exciting here yet, but at least the sink counters are in progress. We cut the right angled part slightly shorter so I can fit it by the window though my windows and curtains are kind of long. But have to make it fit.

Here's the office/den wall cabinet so far. A few books and binders, and probably some newspapers, to add yet on the top shelf. The painted charms made nice bookends. And I found a tiny metal camera that I painted. Just have to add a tray and some piles of photos! Even found that metal paddleboat at the last minute, which fit the theme! I'm still debating - I'm not too keen on the plain doors so I may find some tiny travel images to put there yet. Not sure. I do have some postcard images that could work. 

That's it for the moment! Getting there... thanks for stopping by again!

 

Half Scale #Dollhouse: Updates 3 #miniatures

 It's time for another showing of the latest updates to the Half Scale Victorian Dollhouse! (FYI: Scroll down for all the latest posts on the house, or you can look in the archive list at left as well. Click photos for full size.)

So, what's this above? I finally found a few of the new DIY Minis line at Michael's. (After two trips, mind you.) It is a mish-mash of scales, some rather cute pieces, some meh, but there also were a few that can be used for half scale. I couldn't resist this little fireplace for the corner of the deck as the colors matched perfectly - and it lights up! I also added a touch of red-orange paint to the flames.  Here's another photo where I covered the flash: 

What else? Most of the trim has been added in the rooms, though photos have a way of showing  things you didn't notice before! I now realize that I need to add a piece of trim wood next to the staircase in the hall! Wish I'd seen that before the lamp was put in. Well, it figures, right? 😁

Here's the wall leading to the attic bedroom. I made the door. It worked best to cut a piece from the flooring since it already had the grooves in it! (Yes, there is a piece of wood trim on that wall since I took this photo! ha!)

If I have to pick a favorite room, it might be the attic (on second floor left next to the fern art room above). Love how the brick and wood looks! The ceiling is one of those blotchy scrapbook papers that has an old look to it.) I may even add some cobwebs in the corners yet. I may make the attic really spooky near Halloween. That'll be fun!

Here's the small second floor bedroom to the right of the art room. The door leads to the deck. There's now a small strip of wood across the top which will be shingled.

Also added a sconce on the kitchen wall below. There will be a work table under it. The kitchen counters will run from the left, with sink under left window, and out to the right. It leaves room to split the cabinets to have the ovens on the back wall on one side and the pantry/fridge on the other side on the right. Unless I change my mind again! I'm thinking of the same vintage white/cream color I've been using. Not sure yet of the paper inserts on the cabinets.

A few things I made recently:

Bookcases from kits by Ani. I added the matching scrapbook paper inside.(Yes, have to touch up a few ends with the stain. I hate to keep retaking photos!)  They'll fit the office/den, next to the window. I want to put a window seat between them, hoping that works.

Plant stand: Made from a couple extra wood boxes from a half scale kit and a wood block. I added brick paper and embossed stickers I found at the Dollar Tree. Haven't decided on what flowers to add yet. Then I'll glue the pots down.

This neat wood carving is going on the peak at the front of the house. I was lucky to have just found these and painted it to match. There are a few others but this one worked best.

A set of cool new animal-themed rugs I found on Ebay to fit the office/den and the art room. There are a few more not shown here. I bought them as I wanted the shaped ones!  I'm going to add large ferns for a tropical look in the art room.

So... that's it for the moment. Shingling is next and then the front. Also have to add the wood trim on all the back wall edges. Thinking of using a brown and white clay square sheet I've had forever to form a front patio plus an area for bushes and a garden. It will have a few steps down and the railings just in front of the door, I think, instead of having the usual big porch. We'll see!

Thanks for stopping by again! Come back soon for more updates!

The $1 Million #Dollhouse, Kind Of #miniatures

 The roof is attached Yay! It's actually looking pretty good. (Oh, and wait 'till you see the very pretty wood decoration I just found at Goodwill and painted. Better than just using the usual Victorian-style arch on the top!) 

And then we realized something...

Oh, no! Who the heck really wants to glue hundreds of these tiny 1/2" high shingles on one-by-one??? What a lousy *&^#### project! Sure, wood looks nice, but... Big but!

Well... looked around and don't know why I didn't realize there also are strips of the asphalt roofing in half scale size. Yes! So more $$$$. ha! Hey, my "small" contribution to the economy, right? So we bought these:

So, waiting on that.

Working on it being the $1 million house. ha! Not quite, but.... it seems every time we turn around, there's something else to buy. It adds up. And no, I'm not keeping track though I do have some receipts saved. 

Guess that's why people do the self-contained Chinese-made house kits. You get everything though the quality isn't always there and the scale can sometimes be off.  I have several of those, too. I bought a small one recently from Hobby Lobby just to make some of the items for the girl's bedroom and maybe the deck if they fit right... Or they can be used in the playroom. Either way... 

With most projects, it starts out with some things and then you need more. It started with lights, needed more. Then it was kits. Oh, there are never enough kits! (Coming today. I'm looking forward to doing that kitchen, though I'm also dreading it once I see all those pieces!)

I also have other furniture kits saved,  probably using some once I see if they fit or not. After this.... is there an after? Yes! Do I start on the sea captain and mermaid house, or do the Haunted House? I have two house kits set aside and  I've been saving-saving-saving things for both.... I have some different decorating ideas for both of those! Hmmm, decisions, decisions.  Stay tuned! And thanks again, for stopping by!

April Showers & Spring Flowers! #dollhouse #miniatures

 A quick update as I was pretty happy about the latest mini-make.

Thought I'd add a fun little spooky touch to the deck on the Half Scale Victorian House. As I mentioned in the previous post on the latest updates, the deck will have the "wrought iron" fencing around it with  some flower boxes. 

I wanted to do something different, so these are larger than the smaller window boxes to fit on or in front of the fences. The boxes are cut from 7/16" wide channel molding for 1" scale railings. I cut a small piece of wood to close in the gap on the ends, painted, and then filled it with Model Magic clay with moss glued on top. 

The "flowers" are actually tiny clear plastic flower beads I've been saving. Simply dab the end of florist wire into Tacky glue and then yellow paint to form the center. Once dry, dot glue underneath the blob and slide on bead. Put more glue underneath and slide on a 1/8" green circle. Press up to bottom of bead for better hold. I thought they turned out real cute!

 I decided the box needed some kind of decoration so I came across this package of teensy Halloween-shaped brads. Broke off the ends and the moon shape works perfect! I'll have to make other boxes so I can use the tiny bat, pumpkin and other designs when I do another Haunted House!

More to come! Trim being finished and the roof will be going on soon. Then the hard part - cutting a roof and *&^! shingling. Don't like that part! 

Thanks for stopping by again! 

Half Scale #Dollhouse: Next Challenge #miniatures

 Moving right along on the Half Scale Dollhouse. Getting more lights installed.

 

Speaking of lights, we ordered several standing lights. First time I ordered these and I have to say I'm impressed. The lights are well made; nice colors on the beads on the pole, bright bulb and the shade even screws on and off! It has those plug-in pin bulbs so you can replace the bulb. (Good luck on that as it's so-tiny.) But the lamp is even nicer looking than the photo. I'll add some lace to the shades on a couple for some variety.

Also ordered some furniture kits from Sdk Miniatures. (Yes, yes, it turns into the $1 million dollhouse. haa! (HINT: Never add everything up or keep a running total. Trust me on this. ha!) 

I've ordered furniture and flower kits there before so I know how they are - nicely made and go together well.

Next: The Kitchen -Kind Of

While I had a manufactured kitchen kit and a couple other loose kits, I still didn't have a good idea what to do in the kitchen.  (I do have this full set and the modern stove magnet, too, shown here on Emily's blog.) The kitchen sets the tone of the house, so decorators and real estate ads tell you... I also have those HS magnets - a black Victorian stove and an older '30s-ish white stove, as well a metal Tootsie Toy monitor-top fridge, but... this is a newer house and the people really like their conveniences. So... what to do? 

Then I saw someone's modern kitchen on FB and thought, that would be different. For me. My other kitchen in my HS Country House is kind of vintage-looking. Another small kitchen I made (and since took that cabinet-type house apart) is also older looking. 

Well, I bit the bullet. I almost decided to build it myself, but considering how much I like measuring (Not!!!), I decided to buy a kitchen kit. I like kits and the price is always better than the finished product plus you can customize it how you want. So, other kitchen pieces I have will go to the planned Raggedy Ann house and whatever else I come up with. 

I'm not a big fan of modern contemporary stuff but this really is a nice kitchen kit (photo below) at Sdk Miniatures. So I ordered it.  Obviously I can customize it how I want, so I'll have to think on design and colors. Wish me luck. haa! I'll probably do a follow-along blog to share the pain and any tips I come up with. Stay tuned!

Half Scale #Dollhouse Update 2 #miniatures

 

As I mentioned in the previous post, I've been making some great progress on the Half Scale House.

Getting quite a few things done. It's amazing as this house sat for oh, some 20 years, I think. Being home with the pandemic and over winter, it seemed like a good project to work on to give us something to do. So it's amazing now to actually see all the rooms wallpapered! It wouldn't be as far, of course, without hubby as the contractor. He does the electric, construction and papering, though I have helped with the soldering.

There's still some trimming, small fixes and touch-ups to do, (so please ignore little paint blotches, etc.) but it's come a long way! I wasn't too thrilled at first, I admit, as the house seemed so plain. But it's the different little changes that I think are making it pretty cool! 

Top photo: This was a big change. That was at first one big room on the end, with the octagon shape going to be a tower that connected to the bedroom. Ho hum. Thought about it and decided I really wanted a rooftop deck.  So... the room was split with the brick wall on the outside and the print tile floor. I have to cover the sides of the light posts yet (taken from one of those Christmas village sets). There also will be the plastic wrought iron fences along the top edge with flower window boxes.

I decided it really needed some decoration so I painted a decorative wood strip to go under the top wood trim. Here's the window boxes installed so far, too! I like color as you can tell. Ha! There will be dark green and gold decorative pieces above the windows, with mustard yellow edging along the seam lines. The other front windows will have the sage green shutters. Yes, a lot of these are last minute decisions, but that seems to be the way this house is going! 😊

The other side of the deck will be a small girl's bedroom. I like the look of the brick walls. There'll also be a wood floor in here. The two side walls will have this scrapbook paper, as I like the vintage look and the slightly larger pattern.  I also have to add a fake door on the left wall to "connect" the craft room on the left side. I think it goes well with the bed I'd dressed previously.

Other rooms: again ignore any little mistakes as they're still in progress and I haven't done all the touch-up's yet.

Left side attic room on second floor above the main bedroom. It will have a wood floor and ceiling, with silver industrial-looking lights hanging down. There's a brick wall there next to the right side wood floor. See craft room below.

Crafts/art and sitting room on right side next to the attic. The wall will continue the wallpaper on this side, with brick on the attic side and a centered door.  There also is a fake door on the right wall between the sconces (girl's bedroom on other side with deck.) The circle window has full spokes on the outside. That's mustard yellow. I have to add some kind of stone pattern around the window on that top outside section.

Other additions:

Decided I didn't like the plain first floor hall so I'm adding some vintage tropical wall panels for color. The "stained" picture is for the attic. I'll add the small tropical art in the craft room, too, I think. Waiting on some floor lamps, too. (Yes, more lights, ha!) Realized the hall is dark so will add a light behind the stairs with a bookcase.

Made an Easter basket and a small vintage flower basket from vintage Hallmark basket patterns. It's hard to tell here but the green basket has that shredded yellow basket filling in it. 

I think I forgot to share these small animal and insect charms I found at Hobby Lobby. They'll go on the den/office walls. 

That's it for the moment. More to come! Thanks again for stopping by!

Plants! #dollhouse #miniatures

It's Spring so time to get some things planted! 

 Made great progress on the Half Scale House. The rooms are all lit and we decided to split the end room on the second floor by the tower. It'll now have  a small girl's bedroom and a rooftop deck on the other side! Yes, that door will be locked so the girl doesn't sneak out to look at the stars at night! ha!

 I like that the bedroom will have a brick wall and I found some interesting vintage-look wallpaper with pink flowers for the two walls. The design is a bit larger, but sometimes I think that works. It goes well with the bed set I had dressed earlier. More photos coming! 

In the meantime, I thought I'd share what I decided to do in the window boxes. I painted them a mustard yellow and decided the shutters will stay a dark sage green. Have to decide on the color for the decorative pieces above the windows yet.

The planter boxes are tiny but I wanted some big flowers to add interest. If you haven't looked, I found these plastic plants for fish tanks at Meier. They'll make nice small bushes outside, too. I painted the daisy-like flowers and added black flocking in the center. The boxes also have moss on the bottom and I added some tiny impatiens flower punches for more color. I'll paint some of the other bushes, too, to take away the plastic look.

Spring makes me want to make dollhouse plants, too, so I'll  be making lots of plants for the house inside, too. Plus I have to dig out plants I got from past swaps in the Half Scale Group. I'll share photos of those soon, too. 

Big Fan of Those Fans! #dollhouse #miniatures

 

Can I say again how much I love those wood fans from China? So many uses!

Previously, I made some decorative wood boxes around the windows in the Half Scale dollhouse, and it's the second time I've used them around stairs. I love how they look.

Ta-Da! Next...

I'm super thrilled that I figured out the room divider for the back of the dollhouse room! This is a pretty different design, I know, but I realized the hall had to extend around the room so I could add a door to get to the attic as I didn't want more stairs. (That'll be on the plain wall on the left, which will be covered with the matching black/white scrapbook paper.) But so far, it's turning out pretty well! (It isn't glued in yet and I had to sand the edge so it wasn't cleaned up here.)

I used the heavier wood ends of the fan on both sides for stability. For the center top, I cut the pieces from the fan blades and alternated them because of the angles. I trimmed some of the edges to make them straighter and reversed the smaller pieces so they'd fit. They're glued into pieces of channel wood. I used a different stain this time to give a little contrast. 

And yes, there will also be a large gold picture frame on that glaring blank wall in the hall beyond the railing. We'll add a hanging light also.

So far, so good! It's nice when an idea you have turns out - and I'm glad it worked so I didn't wreck the side pieces! Last time, I cut up a lot of blade pieces to get it the boxes how I wanted, but that was expected for a first try. 

Soon: Decorating And...

Getting closer to the best part of building - the decorating. Soon! But there's  a lot of trimming and finishing to do yet. (And then the porch to build outside, and window boxes, etc. etc. I'm using the fans on the porch railing, too!) Once I finish the wall, then the lights can be installed and the  third floor/ceiling can be put in. There is a beautiful (expensive!) chandelier for that bedroom. A one-time splurge though I just bought some more hanging lights again. That's why you don't keep track of costs in a dollhouse. ha!

More building, too! The third floor will have a wood attic above the bedroom, (I used a wooden placemat in this book box for the walls and want to see if it'll  work here as I don't want to cut individual pieces. I used pieces of a wood Chinese calendar in the other HS house attic (bedroom area below), but I don't have any more of those.)  I love having a place to put all the extra stuff and "junk"!); I may add a part bath enclosure here as well, just a part open door showing a sink or something.

 The other two attic rooms in the current house will be a combined craft area and sitting room/baby's room while the mother works upstairs. (Since I have a nursery set to use! Unless I repaint the crib and add it in the master bedroom and use a cradle upstairs. Either way. I don't want it to seem like the Flowers in the Attic books with the kids locked away in the attic. ha!) 

 A girl's room will be in the tower room at the end, which needs false doors on the wall to "connect" it since we didn't put door openings in. Some things just weren't planned at the beginning of working out this house and were changed later. Lessons learned! 😀 

Stay tuned for more! And, thanks again, for stopping by!

Replicating Real Life #Dollhouse #Miniatures

 

The fun of collecting and creating in miniature size is having a realistic replica of something from real life.

 That's evident by the interest in all the miniature toys that are suddenly popular like the Mini Brands food items and the Wacky Packages items - small scale replicas of real life food products and parody products. I admit both these are "cute," though they are more Barbie size (1:6 scale) than dollhouse scale (1" =1').

Most of us creating in miniature like adding those real-life touches, no matter the size. In my case, I enjoy working in 1:24 scale (half scale or 1/2" = 1'). Yeah, it's small, but I like that you can get the realism without it being so small you have trouble seeing it. (Folding things can make you feel like you're all thumbs, though!)  I made the shelf above a while ago for a kitchen. The shelf is 4" long. The printable (printie) food boxes range in size from under 1/2" to just over 1/2" wide and 1/2" high or so.

This post actually started with a couple of items I got in last year's annual swap from the Half Scale group. I got a kick out of the paint cans a couple people sent and wanted to figure out how to make more. Hard to get a real good photo as these are only just over 1/2" high. (Emily Morganti made the can on the right using part of an LED Christmas bulb for the cap, she said. Check out her blog - she has some great half scale dollhouses and ideas!)

I was pretty happy with how mine came out using a dowel rod, thread and a slice cut from the end of a wood paint brush to make the cap. I shrunk down the label in my Word program. (They look a little beat-up in the photo since the camera picks up every-single-mark. ha! But on a shelf, they look pretty good.

 I also just found some tiny beads with straight sides that might work for other color and clear plastic caps. They're called Perler Beads and used to hook onto pegs almost like Legos. The pegs are part of shapes like butterflies, etc. 

We'll see if they work for my purposes. The beads are about 1/4" high, similar in size to the clear cap on the first can photo though that one has slightly angled and rounded sides. I'll  try and make some to see how they turn out. You need more than a few cans on a shelf, right? And once you start making something, I admit, you get kind of hooked on having multiples. ha!  I wanted to see what size a 1" scale can would be also, though I'll likely need a larger dowel and a bigger bead. But that's another day. 

I've been making some other things as well for the latest Half Scale dollhouse so stay tuned! 

Thanks again for stopping by!

Half Scale #Dollhouse Decorations: #miniatures

 Latest work on the Half Scale Victorian House. 

Read All About It! ha!

I'm waiting on an order of lights to get here  (well, I used some in the previous HS Country House; also see attic interior) so had to get more! Hint: if you're new to miniatures, it's like a real house - always things to do or more things to buy - or re-buy! ha!)

So... in the meantime I've been working on a few decorative items. I wanted to do some different things in this house. I usually use scrapbook paper for the walls. In the upstairs office I decided on a travel theme, so I used this paper. I loved the colors and also used it to line the wall bookcase. It's pretty neat looking in full size. 

(As a reminder for myself, Emily Morganti, who builds/decorates some great HS houses, has this same bookcase in her house's living room. Check out her HS sofa instructions here.)

For fun, I painted some of these silver charms to use as decorative objects on the shelves.

And... of course, I have a bunch of books made already (which I can't find at the moment), but I don't mind making more! (see top photo.) These are nice, vintage-style books. I sprayed them first with matte acrylic sealer, then sealed with a couple coats of matte Mod Podge. Then I traced the designs with a stylus on a mouse pad to accentuate the outlines. I frame the books around picture frame mat board, cut to fit, and paint the edges with Tulip Metallic Gold fabric paint.

I was pretty pleased how this geranium came out! It's not made the usual way. I don't have an actual geranium leaf punch so I used a different, much larger shaped leaf and cut out sections, but it worked out well. It's set in a larger printed bead as I wanted to use the planters outside the double doors in the second floor hall. I'll share some tips on the flower in a coming post. Yes, half scale plants are usually very tiny so I wanted these just a bit bigger than that. 

Something else I forgot to share last time: got the window boxes made! I was making them slightly larger at first but this will work fine. Made them out of wood after all. Once I started, it wasn't so bad! Luckily, I had some channel wood which saved me from making all four sides. I only had to add the end pieces!

And... the other pieces below are wood snowflakes cut in half. I'll paint them and put them above the windows for some decorative elements. There 's two styles since one set goes on the tower and one on the front windows. 

I'm trying to figure out the color scheme as the windows are brown with the vintage white inner trim on a yellow house. I'm thinking fuchsia for the window boxes and a Wedgewood green for the shutters. I plan on adding other contrasting wood trim and decorative pieces to tie it all together. I don't want it to be too plain (as it is now!) (Not sure what color to paint these pieces. Suggestions?)

Until next time... thanks for visiting!