It All Starts Here

Sometimes our ideas flow from an existing kit to bash, a house style to scratch (aka custom) build, or from an interesting doll who needs a place to live. Our settings are always modern-day (ca. 2001 when we started this hobby). We try to create things that will make people smile and feel good.

We think that if we had to build the same house twice, we literally could not do it! Fortunately, we have very unique little people who have definite opinions and so far, no one has wanted a house “like so-and-so” has.

We work as a family unit: my wonderful husband, my beautiful sister, and I. We don't always agree as to the direction of the build, but I think that we end up with a better dollhouse because of all our grumblings -- and we do have a lot of fun!

The Purpose of this Blog

We needed a place for all we wanted to say about the background of the build and the nuts and bolts of the design and build process. Thus this blog.

All our dolls' homes have families living in them and a story is built around their personalities and lifestyles. This story is an integral part of our building process. We would like to share these stories -- actually, the little people insist upon it!

Many of our houses are located in Fredericksburg, Virginia because that is my sister's favorite place.

Also, we have started a Rouges' Gallery with photos of our little people and information about the dolls.

If you would like to start with the dollhouse that "started it all", it is the Original Rowbottom Manse; if you would like to see the scratch-built Georgian that our first build gave us the confidence (or fool-hardiness) to do, it is Sunnybrook Farm.

Let the stories begin!

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Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Funny thing happened with the mock-up of the Abner Raleigh House

I marked the cardboard with the room layout and then placed the furniture for the living room, dining room, and hall. I didn't like it! The rooms didn't seem the right size? ... or something else? Yikes!! Just when I thought I was an my way. Well, the hall seemed ok, but that just has a staircase and a bookcase--hard to go wrong there.

A 28 x 28 inch house seemed right on paper and I really didn't want to go larger ... but ....

Now I am trying to decide if I just need to make the living and dining rooms more than 17 inches but keep the other dimension? (The living room is 17 x 14" and the dining room is 17 x 13 5/8"). Do I have to make the house deeper, too? I guess the next layout will be 30 x 30. No sense just upping by one inch, might as well go for broke... Or maybe I should just make the house deeper to 30" and keep the 28" across the front? ... Or I could compromise and make the house 29 x 29" ???

I guess I have to play with the "mock-up" in different sizes. The layout of the rooms stays and the corner fireplaces stay. I would like the door between the living and dining rooms, but that is not necessary. The hallway could be narrower but I like the idea of a "sort-of" library in the hallway and the only way that is possible is if the hall is not less than 10 3/8" wide.

I think I just gave myself a headache.
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