About this blog:


Welcome to my blog about my dollhouse and miniatures hobby. Here, you will find information on items I have made, bought, and sold, as well as some resources on where to find some really cool stuff! Feel free to browse around and follow my blog!

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Mini hunt in Maine

Jason and I went on an antiquing trip yesterday in Maine. We started on Route 9 in our town of Somersworth, NH, crossed the Salmon Falls River and went into Berwick, ME. Route 9 goes through Berwick, then cuts over to Wells, joins with US-1, then cuts away again to follow the coast line. We continued up US-1 to Arundel, then turned around when the shops started to close around 5 to follow US-1 South to Kittery and hit some backroads to head home.

During our very pleasant trip, we stopped at quite a few antique shops. The first, Bo-Mar Hall Antiques and Collectibles, didn't have much in the way of dollhouse miniatures, but it had a lot of train goodies. My dad would LOVE this place and I will probably take him to check it out if they come up to visit this summer.

The next stop was at a group of shops further up the road on the right. I believe the group of shops is called Wells Union, and it includes a wonderful shop, that sells items made from recycled materials, named Smith - Zukas. They have small porcelain "water balls" which could be useful for all kinds of non-mini purposes I suppose. :) Also in this group were two smaller shops, names I cannot recall right now, one which had an amazing 1920s antique New England farmhouse and barn. It looked to be about 1/2" scale. And I am kicking myself for not taking a picture. We may have to go back to get dimensions and take some pics. The price was well over a grand, and it probably won't be going into my collection any time in the near or far future, but it's such a lovely piece just to admire.

Further up the road, also on the right was a shop where I hit the mini jackpot. Pay close attention, readers, if you end up in Maine and are hitting the southwest coast antique shops, go to Reed's Antiques and Collectibles. Here's the sign as I took it standing in front of the building:
It had antique dollhouse furniture and accessories in its glass cases, plus TWO dollhouses out on the floor. I was very excited!
The first dollhouse was a model of a home somewhere in Massachusetts, and I am not sure it was exactly to 1/12th scale. The rooms were very deep and the ceilings were somewhat lower than my Glencroft. Yet it looked to have 1" scale doors and windows...
Here's a picture:
I can't remember the price, but I remember it being between 70-100 dollars.

The other dollhouse was a pleasant surprise when I first saw it, because it is one of the dollhouses on my wishlist! A Westville by Greenleaf!
They were asking about 225.00 for the house. Some of the gingerbread was broken off, and whoever put the house together went overboard with the wood glue inside. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to rehab this beautiful little house, or the money to purchase this particular one, but it may be a nice match for someone out there who would like to put the time and energy into taking care of this pretty thing.

But having seen it reinforced that I do indeed want one. :)

I did leave with some lovely items. First, I want to mention that they were having some reasonable discounts on many of their items, including my new-to-me hutch:
It looks GREAT already in the unfinished kitchen of the Glencroft I'm building. :) As you can see I also took home two very lovely little pots, striped with my favorite colors: blue and green.
Here's a better picture of those:
They are going in the herb/world goods shop for a mini person to buy. :)

There were a few other pieces of furniture, some pewter minis and many accessories. It's worth taking a look around the shop. :)

The next, and last, shop we went to, was the HUGE Antiques USA building in Arundel, past Kennebunk, on US-1. We ended up not buying anything here, but my mini-addicted self was enjoying some of the fun finds, including one really old dollhouse and one very detailed little church (probably 1/4" or 1/2" scale - I really need to bring the tape measure along next time...).

Pretty, huh? There were also one or two 1/12th scale mini pieces, lots of 1/6th scale pieces, and plenty of accessories that were quite old in many of the glass cases. It's definitely worth taking a look!

Once we left this store, it was near 5, when all the shops were closing their doors, so we headed back to NH. :)

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Spring Cleaning!

Well, Jason and I decided to clean house today. I've had a lot of craft stuff all over the dining room table and through the living room, and it was time to get it all organized. Clear plastic shoeboxes are my best friend, as I used these to sort and store all my mini/dollhouse supplies. :) The Glencroft-in-progress is also placed next to the Herb Shop (still needs a name!) on the hope chest while it's not being built.

Here's a glimpse into our life today. :)

Organized minis and building supplies!



The Glencroft-in-progress next to the Shop.


Oh my, it looks like we have customers!
Jan Pu is entertaining the kitty as a catgirl...

...while Yasuna and Ayuki came all the way from Japan (and still in their school uniforms!) to shop for items of interest! :)


That's it for now! I plan to do some planning for another mini project I'd like to start in the near future. After the Glencroft is done, of course. ;)

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Glencroft Day 4

I worked on the Glencroft during the evening, and finished the beams. I also painted the fireplace wall on both floors. Also, I put the bay window in on the right side.

I will have a lot of touch-up to do, but I am glad most of the painting is done. Some of the beams were difficult to shove into the slots, but I made them fit. *ahem* The camera really brings out some discoloration you can't really see with the naked eye, or at least with the lighting in my living room...it actually looks a bit cleaner than in these photos. Oh well. It's like standing in the dressing room of a department store under fluorescent lights. Every flaw is illuminated. Yuck.

Next, I will be tackling the roof!

Anyway, here are those photos...








Sunday, January 25, 2009

Glencroft Day 3

Well, today I came back to the Glencroft, put on the outside left wall and chimney. I touched up some of the interior paint and added wallpaper (from scrapbook paper) in the bedroom and bathroom.

I've started the beams. They are taking a lot longer than I thought they would.

Unfortunately, I need to charge my camera battery, but when I do, I'll get some pics.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

I have some business to finish up today, so I am taking the day off from building my Glencroft, but I thought I would list my dream dollhouses here. Someone on the Greenleaf forum posted their progress in building the Harrison. I'd love to get my paws on one of those. I wonder how much time it takes to build relative to the Glencroft.


As you can tell, I love the Tudor style. Ever since I was a little kid, I loved the half-timbered look and wanted to live in such a house.

My dollhouse obsession has also allowed me to appreciate other forms of architecture. One of my favorites is Carpenter Gothic. Thanks to the Westville by Greenleaf, I am smitten with steeply pitched roofs, gothic windows and gingerbread.


Here is a great link to photographs of real carpenter gothic homes, including the real Westville!
Carpenter Gothic Database

As you can see, I have other homes listed on the right hand side of this blog that I would love to have, but these top the list.

If you have favorites that you've built or dream homes on your wishlist, what are they?

Monday, January 19, 2009

Glencroft Day 2

Well, I got a LOT done today, including most of the front wall, the fireplaces, and the stairs. I am letting the glue dry, for the next step requires me to flip the house on the right wall and I don't want pieces flying off wall I am putting on the chimney and outer left wall. I am happy with my progress, but I know I won't have it done 'til after I return from DC next week. Oh well. It will give me something to look forward to on these cold long winter evenings.

Anyway, pictures:








Sunday, January 18, 2009

Okay, so I decided to take pictures and have made more progress today. I have the inner left wall up and most of the front wall. I have one more piece (M and N, specifically, which must be pre-assembled first) for the front wall, and then it's time to do the staircases.





Here you can see the turquoise. I decided to hold off painting the outside til I am done with the shell and before I add the trim.

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