Building a dollhouse

Hello! I am sharing another update on my French cottage build. This 1:12 scale house was built from scratch based on my own design. I reached a milestone this weekend when I finally made all of the windows and installed them. Michael’s Craft store had a clearance on their craft wood last year and I quickly bought up a bunch for these windows. The planks have been waiting a long time to take shape!

I was debating having my friend, Jeff Winkle-3D master, print up some handles for me but I was eager to wrap up the windows this past weekend. If you are curious about 3D and Laser printing he has ongoing tutorials in American Miniaturist 227-229.

Every so often I look through my stash of beads and jewelry findings to remind myself what I have. I am so happy I did this just a week before because I remembered these interesting metal links. With a little TLC they became perfect handles!

Using jewel pliers, I carefully bent one end (with the hole) then grabbed the neck of the long piece right beside the flat hole and bent it. Then I snipped off the other end. After some sanding with a metal file, they were perfect! I envisioned them covered in paint like old handles may be in an older home.

The stores don’t carry Plexiglass or acrylic sheets anymore (seems most things are only online these days) so I used a 50% off coupon at Joann’s and got an inexpensive poster frame for $8! The acrylic inside the frame was even better than the sheets I used to buy. It was thinner and much softer to cut.

 

Each window hole was a little different so the windows were made carefully to fit. I just had to do a little sanding in the window holes and then fill in cracks with watered down spackle in a squeeze bottle.

I bypassed making them working windows because this project is a moment in time. It won’t change with the seasons, it will always be early summer. The resident is an elderly man so he likes his bedroom and bathroom cozy. But he does open the kitchen window for some fresh air. His strong-willed cat (boss of the house) enjoys this because he can pop out for some sunbathing. Being a big-boy the pot needs to move so he can fit on the narrow sill. I will be adding spilled dirt and a plant in the fallen pot and a plant in the other pot. Cat by Heart Felt Canine.

  

I must say I really love all the cracks and chips that are on the walls inside. This piece is taking shape and adding the windows really gave it life! I hope you all are well and having fun creating!