1st dolls house kit

[angelang]

hi this is my 1st sign in could anyone reccomend where i could buy my 1st dolls house kit my daughter is expecting her 1st baby and i would really enjoy doing this as a hobby but not sure exactly where to start!any help would be really appreciated.:)

[coodencat]

Hi A Warm welcome There are so many DH kits about , so I would look first on DHE. then there are many other dolls house sites Maple Street/ Dolls house world just type in Google.
Then depending on what your price range is and most of all what DH takes your fancy make your final choice.

If you have been bowsing the forum you will read many ideas a tips to get you going.
Good luck let us know how your get on. Am sure others will post threads to help you on your way too.
When is your daughters baby due ? Maybe a boy then you will have to look for a fort or a garage ;)
tc carol
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s248/swedane/Icons/shy.gif

[Winston's Mum]

Hi Angelang http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn242/chrisseysmi/welcome-1-1.gif warm welcome to you to the forum and hope you like it and stay awhile. As for dolls house i agree with Coodencat, DHE houses are good, because you get everything you need in the kit. Also try other dolls house shops, also ebay is good, good luck in your search do let us know what you decide to do.

[Ann of Boleyn]

Hi Angelang,

Welcome to the forum. This hobby is very addictive, as is the forum, are you prepared for that?:)

Who will you be making the dolls house for, yourself, or your grandchild? If it is for yourself go for it, look at DHE catalogue, Dolls house Builder etc. Get yourself a dollshouse magazine, there are 3 available. Dollshouse World, Dollshouse & Miniature Scene, and The Dollshouse Magazine. Read through those, they will give you some idea of what is available as they are full of adverts. When you see a house you like, make a note of where you saw it and who supplies it. Then carry on looking, you will make a note of it about 6 or more times. When you see the house for you, you will know. Then decide what you want to do with it, period or modern, and who you want to live in it. (apart from yourself, of course).

If it is for a child then it is a different proposition. You need to go for sturdiness and safety.

It is a very enjoyable hobby, and the people on this forum are very friendly and helpful. They are also very nosy (not me you understand) and will keep asking you for photos when you do get your house.

Anyway, I wish you luck with finding your perfect house.

[angelang]

:)many thanks for your warm welcome!the projects is more for myself than baby i had to stop working in 2004 due to being diagnosed with crohns disease and an underactive thyroid the list is endless its only now my crohns is under control due to chemo drugs so basically im at a loose end for now but not for long once baby arrives!
ive been checking out the websites to cure the boredom as some days,weeks,months i can be in bed for months if i start relapsing so i was checking out the website arts and crafts found nothing!then i came across the dolls houses and as my daughter is expexcting a baby girl in 3 weeks this would keep me busy and if i am in bed i could do it in the bedroom if ive been nursing for 23 years surely i could built a dolls house lol she says enthusiastically lol!Found this forum and its really informative so thats the plan to focus on making a dolls house being a guinea pig at hospital 2x a week and being a granny!
Many thanks for your reply:)if i get clueless along the way ill just holler!:)
Cant wait to get started 1st though i need to find a house!:)

[Winston's Mum]

Hi you poor thing, but great news about baby, the dolls house and the new baby will certainly keep you busy ha ha. I have IBS and an under active thyroid, thats Crohns is awful i worked with someone who has that and she used to suffer too. Any way hope you find a dolls house and it really is a lovely relaxing hobby.

[Amanda]

Hi Angelang
http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii191/calicocat_01/Welcome%20Signs/welcomeglitter61.gif to the forum, we are a friendly bunch, but we are all very nosy, so when you get your house, which I am sure you will, we will be pestering you for pictures because we love pictures

Have a look at the thread Home Sweet Home, that will give you loads of ideas of different houses, if you then find just the house you are looking for just post a reply to ask where it was purchased and as the others have already said, take a look at the houses on offer at DHE, the internet, magazines and ebay all good sources of information, GOOD LUCK

[angelang]

:Dyou all seem a really friendly bunch this forums going to become addictive!at the moment looking on various websites right now!hmmmmmm goin g to be a long night!any help on where to purchase your houses would be appreciated!:D

[Winston's Mum]

Hi try DHE, and Dolls house workshop, and Wonham hope that helps but i do recommend the DHE X

[Amanda]

Hi Angelang

Here are a few you might like to take a look at, JULIE-ANNS-DOLLS-HOUSES (http://stores.ebay.co.uk/JULIE-ANNS-DOLLS-HOUSES) she does lots of different houses on ebay, bobthedollshousebuilder (http://stores.ebay.co.uk/bobthedollshousebuilder) makes loads of houses from small to enormou, this one is selling some at good prices http://pics.ebaystatic.com/aw/pics/uk/s.gifglobal-leisure (http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/global-leisure/)http://pics.ebaystatic.com/aw/pics/s.gifhave a look at these sellers and see if there is anything you like

[DeeGee]

Hi welcome to the forum...

Do you have a local dolls house.... even if you don't buy from there.... its a good place to go just to look in real life at the size and scale of the dolls houses that you may consider buying.

[angelang]

:)on a mission now well ive found my 1st house the ashburton victorian dolls house £50 thought it was a really good deal!:)im up for the challenge!sorry to be such a pest with the questions but where do all you house addicts go for furniture and dont say B@Q lol!:)i really appreciate all the info any thanks!
What do you do with all your houses once they are completed?

[coodencat]

Hi A You do understand that this forum comes with a warning ..... once you start reading you are completely hooked for life. Everything else goes out of the window until you have your daily fix !!!!
Ah so you know it will be a girl so forts /Castles are out or maybe not.:p
If the house is as you say for you at first as the others have said just have a browse and see what house says " Buy me now" >>>
tc carol

Opps yo have been and gone and brought one . I go to DH shops and Ebay for my furiture and other items as have no local fairs. Think that is the best place so have heard for bargins. When you have finished your house I think most of the forum members buy another and some even buy one or two more lol
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[DeeGee]

Well lets see... as for furniture EBAY and my local Dolls House Shop....

but as for the house... don't know, this is my first house and I've not finished it yet.:)

[Winston's Mum]

wow Angelange you didnt hang about did you, well done, that is a nice house to start with, you weill have to start a thread of your own in home sweet home, then we will pester you for piccies ha ha as for furniture well theres DHE, Ebay , fairs, dolls house shops, sure ryder shops. Trawl the internet, ebay is a good place to start and also you need all the catalogues you can get. Well Done Mrs X

[Amanda]

Hi Angelang

Well you certainly did not hang about, that was a quick decision, good house though and a good size, just to give you an idea what this hobby is like I started in February of this year and have just purchased my FOURTH house, so now you are truly hooked hang on for a very long and enjoyable ride

I get my furniture from where I find the perfect item at the time, I have purchased from DHE their ceiling papers are lovely, look out for their special offers on furniture, ebay, mapelstreet, one of my favourites is Jenny's of Walsall where you can get white wood furniture to stain and varnish in the colour you want,

[St.Vale]

Welcome to the forum from me too

[cinderella]

Hi Angelang

Welcome to the forum, I hope you enjoy your new hobby. The Sue Ryder Shop Is a good place for items which are not too expensive http://www.hickletoncollectors.co.uk/

[gemini37]

Hi Angelang i am new to dolls houses too and i looked for ages at loads of houses before getting mine( well hubby bought it haha) AS OTHERS HAVE ALREADY WARNED YOU IT DOES BECOME ADDICTIVE i have spent hours on my house so far , i have a Dartmouth with basement , i have found also that ebay is great place to get furniture as well as Sue ryder charity shop which also has a website, postage is £5 but covers many items if you bulk buy. Hope you enjoy yourself, am sure you will, let your imagination fly and have fun xxx

[angelang]

:)beware this site could seriously damage your health lol!been on house sites all day lol as prewarned its addictive:)thought i had found the right house i was wrong i just had to keep searching and searching and searching!
Theres to many to choose from!think ive been on every dolls site on the web!as the beatles sang "Its been a hard days night and ive been working like a dog" lol i dont sleep much at nights anyway so what better way to spend it than shop shop shop!ill let you all know when ive found one!:rolleyes::

[mad-on-miniatures]

Hi angelang,

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d4/punkprincess_1292/Welcome%20Signs/77adec9c.gif to the forum. It may help if you decide what era you are going to be doing your house in.......although most houses can be done to suit all styles ........having an idea of the period, may help you decide which house to buy.

The DHE I can reccommend......as they go together brilliantly......and there are grooves already routed out for the sides,backs and walls to fit into, making construction a dodddle......Other sites offer some fantastic house too .......here's a site that gives links to other DH sites.....http://www.thedollshousemall.com/links.htm

These are DH house sites......

http://maplestreet.co.uk/

http://www.thedollshousebuilder.co.uk/


http://www.ladollshouse.com/doll-house-kit.html

http://www.dollshouseworkshop.com/


happy hunting.......and let us know which one you decide upon.......aand dont forget the pictures too.......

[angelang]

:DHi m thanks for the links ive just received my dhc catalogue i feel like a child again lol have not found anything yet but im sure i will soon!i wish i had started this hobby years ago it would of took my mind of the crohns disease my brain needs stimulating many thanks for all your help i received yesterday im obsessed already specially looking at the baby nurserys my grandaughters going to be ruined lol.

[Winston's Mum]

thats good, its lovely to get all the dh books you can, then you will be really confused ha ha have you found a house yet or still looking.

[angelang]

hi winston still looking this book could seriously damage your health!:D daughters just snatched the book lol now ive got no chance of getting it back!not long now before becomes arrives its still a work in progress guess she has to keep her mind occupied!she will have me going bankrupt before the end of the day lol!:rolleyes:

[wombat]

hi angelan. sorry i did not welcome you before but yesterday i was asleep on sofa and have been busy with my tower today. as the other have said this hobby is addictive and you will soon find yourself wanting a second and third house!! but to start with you need your first!! i thought some questions to ask yourself before you decide on a house would be useful so.....

how much space do you have for the house?? the catalogue pictures can be decieving and when you get a tape measure out some of them are up to 4 feet wide!! (thats the really big ones) so think about space and have a tape measure to hand!!

what is your budget (its ok you don't have to tell us) but keep this in mind as there are a whole range of houses from cheap to very expensive.

what style of house do you like? geaorgian, victorian, modern arts and crafts era?? if you have an idea of the style you like this can cut down on the looking time!!

how are your building skills? as others have said you can buy quick style houses from DHE which already have groves for light wires and some are painted on the outside for you. its not difficult to put a house together and make the grooves yourself but some people have difficulty doing this for many reason and find it easier if its done for you!

i hope these bits to think about are some use but i know from experience that it can take weeks to find the right house but when you do its soooo exciting!!

i would also try ginnysattic as they have some great sales on!!!

well thats all from me!! welcome gain and ask as many questions as you need to...we all had to at one time and we are always here to answer them!

[angelang]

:)hi wombat ur a saint this was the dolls house i had my eye on before i finally unshackled myself away from the comp this morning the site ginnysattic is really informative and the offers are reasonable if only goods for our houses were as cheap for our own house!sorry forgot to mention my 1st house is going to be the letsby avenue a modern day house!ok chose the house now time to put plan into action where to start next:rolleyes:think i had better go for a nap its going to be another "hard days night"thanks for the info wombat its appreciated

[angelang]

morning little people!
well the guy who i purchased my house from has just called me and told me my dolls house is out of stock wont be delivered for 4-5 weeks grrrrrrrrrrrrr lol so i guess its back to the jigsaws until then!so in the meantime i was going to subscribe to a dhm any ideas on which one to buy?


ps my daughter is due to have a c section on the 5/9/08 cant wait to see my grandaughter!shes maybe little but shes determined to break my daughters ribs lol

[coodencat]

Hi Al Awww that is such bad luck having to wait, But will be all the more exciting when you do finally get a property>
Such an exciting time for you I have two grandchildren. Daughter lived about 2 hours drive but we were there like a shot on her return from hospital with the first one . The grandaughter was born in the USA so did not see her for about 6 months. They moved back to UK but up in the Midlands now so we only see them rarely so enjoy every minute.
tc carol
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[St.Vale]

Hiya Angela

You will be surprised how quickly that time will go especially if you spend the time searching and deciding what you want for it lol

[davidsmum]

HI Angelang

Welcome to the forum! Do you have some idea of what you want to do with your house? Period, modern, shop, cafe? If you can start with that then that will eliminate certain house styles right away. Do you want to start small or go for it in a big way? That will eliminate more houses. It's really just a question of narrowing it down from what's on offer and as others have said, you will be drawn to perhaps a couple more than the others. Personally, I think it helps to know what you want to do with it first, then the rest sort of fits into place. Good luck with your search and I hope you find the right property!

[shasha]

Just to add my welcome to the forum...as everybody's already said everything!