The Garfield Blog

Paperclay Bricks

2011-11-10T15:49:00.000-08:00

Finished bricking the manor, and just in time too! With baby due next week, I guess it is time to say goodbye to mini-making for a while, and get busy with my real life miniature. So, send all your prayers our way!

It took me about twelve packs of "Pearl" paperclay to complete the house. Each pack contains 17.5 oz. of paper clay. I would still like to add brick border around the windows and the main door, and perhaps some architectural details as in my inspiration photo, but that will not be happening any time soon!

Thank You Kimmie Lou!

2011-11-08T23:04:00.000-08:00

Can't believe my luck! I won this corn bread prep board on Kimmy Lou's blog give-away! From the crumbs to the tiny recipe card, thin egg shells to the freshly broken egg yolk ... the details are unbelievable! Kimmie, thank you so much for this and the cupcakes!

For more minis by Kimmie Lou, visit:
Blog: kimmilouminiatures.blogspot.com
CDHM: cdhm.org/user/kimmilou

Thank You Kim!

2011-11-08T14:23:00.000-08:00

I just realized, I had never shared these photos on the Garfield Blog. These wonderful Birthday cake, cupcakes and cookies were gifts from Kim Saulter for the second birthday of The Mini Food Blog. Those who know Kim, already know her loving and generous nature, but she never ends to surprise me! Kim actually made this cake for the blog's birthday, not for the contest or anything, but just because she is a sweetheart who loves minis ... so, what are we waiting for? Let's cut the cake and pass around the plates.

For more minis by Kim Saulter, visit:
Blog: kimsminiatures.blogspot.com
Flickr: flickr.com/photos/kimsdollhouses
eBay: myworld.ebay.com/kim8168
Etsy: etsy.com/shop/kimsminis

River Rock Foundation

2011-08-14T21:27:00.001-07:00

While the front of the house features pretty lattice-work on the foundation, the back portion of the foundation is sadly bare. One inexpensive and fun solution is to hot-glue river stones on the foundation. A 99 cent bag of river stones from Hobby Lobby was enough to cover the bare portions of the foundation, with plenty to spare. It felt like working on a narrow jigsaw puzzle, trying to find the right stones to fit perfectly ...

Thank You Oiseau!

2011-01-08T16:15:00.001-08:00

The package from France arrived late last year, on a day when I desperately needed to be cheered up! My good friend of many years was leaving the country, so I was sad ... Oiseau's tiny treasures brought a smile on my face that day. The package included roast chicken, poached pear in chocolate sauce, pate, seashell chocolate for Christmas, an amazingly detailed Hortensia plant and carrots in a handwoven basket!

For more minis by Oiseau deNim, visit:
Etsy: etsy.com/shop/OiseaudeNim
Flickr: flickr.com/photos/oiseaudenim
Blog: oiseaudenim.blogspot.com
Blog: oiseau.pixnet.net/blog

Thank You Eve!

2011-01-08T16:13:00.001-08:00

These photos are long overdue! This fabulous cheese tray is a gift from Eve of After Dark Miniatures. I am a big fan of cheese in real life, so this is just perfect!

I had not gotten the chance to photograph it until the winter break ... so here it is!

For more minis by Eve at After Dark Miniatures, visit:
Etsy: afterdarkafterall.etsy.com
eBay: shop.ebay.com/merchant/afterdarkafterall
Blog: afterdarkminiatues.blogspot.com
Website: afterdarkafterall.co.uk

Thank You Caroline!

2011-01-07T16:14:00.000-08:00

Thank you Caroline, for making this pizza specially for me, with the black olives, bell pepper and the cheese sprinkled with oregano ... my favorite!

For more minis by Caroline of Hummingbird Miniatures, visit:
Blog: hummingbirdminiatures.blogspot.com
Etsy: etsy.com/shop/HummingbirdMiniature
Flickr: flickr.com/photos/mini_food
Facebook: facebook.com/pages/Hummingbird-Miniatures/135669596465117?ref=ts

Also visit Pixie Dust Miniatures:
Blog: pixiedustminiatures.blogspot.com
Etsy: etsy.com/shop/PixieDustMiniatures
Facebook: facebook.com/pages/Pixie-Dust-Miniatures-Quality-dollhouse-miniature-magic/146811252030388

Paperclay Bricks

2010-11-11T06:47:00.000-08:00

These photos were taken in July ... the last time I was able to work on the Garfield. Since then, I have been so very busy at work that blogging and anything dollhouse-related has taken the back burner.

I came across the photos today and wanted to share them with you. I haven't made significant progress with the bricking, but whatever I have, I am very happy with! The bricks are uneven and sometimes the lines get shifted slightly. However, I think the imperfections make the building look older and lend a hand-made quality to the bricks.

Oh I wish I could get back to bricking right now!

Paperclay Bricks

2010-06-22T22:21:00.000-07:00

Not much has happened since the last time. I did stain the roof a dark walnut color like the inspiration photo.

By the way, I have finally gotten the paper clay for the exterior bricks. I bought them from paperclay.com and they were wonderful! They have discounted price for wholesale items. So I bought 19 packs of "Pearl" paper clay for only $2.65 each ... each pack contains 17.5 oz. of clay! If you have shopped for paper clay before, you already know how ridiculously inexpensive this is in comparison. They also credited back almost $10 on shipping when they found out they could ship out the clay in a USPS flat rate box. So, my thanks goes out to the folks at paperclay.com.

I have started bricking the house, and I can tell you right now, it will take me forever and a day to finish making the bricks. I tested the paper clay on the front door steps. If you remember from the post about stairs, I had used the original front door steps on the third floor of the Garfield instead. So this time around, I had to fashion stairs out of cardstock and masking tape, which I later covered with paper clay bricks. The "Pearl" clay dries very hard, and I am loving it so far ...

The Garfield Manor of Sara Mendez

2010-05-21T13:26:00.000-07:00

These are photos of Sara's Garfield Manor. I love the mysterious play of light and shadows ... so haunting!

Sara bought this house for $40 on craigslist.com! Can you believe it? She thought it would be a good idea to photograph the house before she makes it over, so that she can look back and marvel at the transformation ...

For more minis by Sara Mendez, visit her blog: http://sarasminicreations.blogspot.com

Thank You Tara & Kellie!

2010-05-15T14:57:00.000-07:00

While I am sharing photos of the gifts I received, I thought I'd post some that are long overdue. These were gifts I received from Tara Ryan and Kellie Wachter last year, but I never got the chance to photograph them until this morning.

The screen and the pillows were made by Tara, especially for the Garfield Manor. She knew that this was to become a nabob's pleasure palace, and wanted to create something with a distinctly Indian flair.

Kellie Wachter created this crazy quilt with all the colors of the peacock, knowing full well how much I adored the bird. She even embroidered tiny peacock feathers, bees and butterflies throughout the quilt ... anywhere you look, you will find a tiny something or the other hidden in the patchwork.

You can see more of Kellie's works at:
Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/yankeedimes
Blog: http://yankeedimes.blogspot.com
Website: http://www.yankeedimeprimitives.com

Chrysnbon Parlor Pump Organ & Stool

2010-04-03T14:40:00.000-07:00

I couldn't believe my luck when I won the Chrysnbon Parlor Pump Organ & Stool Kit on eBay for $1.49 ... well, there was the $5.00 shipping, but I was thrilled all the same!

So it arrived yesterday, and I stayed up til midnight staining the parts. It was very easy to assemble and I absolutely adore the details! It looks right at home inside the Garfield ...

Thank You Anthoula!

2010-03-30T22:48:00.000-07:00

Today I received a gift all the way from Greece! When I untied the red and white checkered ribbon and unwrapped the red paper wrapping, these tiny treasures awaited me. First came the lemon meringue pie ... then the fruit tart topped with cherry and a slice of starfruit ... followed by the waffle served with chocolate ice cream and banana slices atop a dollop of cream ... and finally the tiny meringue nest with slices of citrus fruits! I love how the meringue swirls so elegantly on all of them, and the details on the starfruit and banana slices are out of this world! Thank You Anthoula!

For more minis by Anthoula Zampeli, visit:

Blog: http://a-miniature-life.blogspot.com

Thank You Teresa!

2010-03-16T12:36:00.000-07:00

These are my cherished gifts from Teresa Martínez, all the way from Spain! Earlier this year, she mailed me a copy of the Miniaturas magazine where my doll, Sunehra, was featured. Along with the magazine, she sent me her wonderful creations of marmalade and the Christmas wreath. My photos don't do justice to the detail ... if you could only see the itsy bitsy slices of lemon and qiwi! From the bottom of my heart, Teresa, Thank You!

For more minis by Teresa Martínez, visit:
Blog: http://tinyterminiatures.blogspot.com
Website: http://www.tinyterminiatures.com

Door and Much More

2010-01-13T14:59:00.000-08:00

Much has happened since the last time I wrote. We bought a house ... a life-size house, not a dollhouse ... the Garfield Manor survived the move. The exterior still needs a lot of work, but decorating the new house took precedence.

Over the winter break, I was able to work on my Garfield a little. Not major things ... a trim here, a molding there. My favorite has to be the front door. I found the easiest way to work with the doors is to glue the hinge onto the door first, then glue the vertical door frame to the hinges ... then, glue the door frame (along with the door) onto the body of the house. The bar that creates the horizontal door frame goes on last. The doors needed a lot of sanding, and do not fit the opening exactly. But they are opening/shutting fine and I could not be happier with them!

Indoors, I added curtains to almost all the windows on the first and second floor. I love the elegance created by the floor-to-ceiling curtains ... and am doubly glad that the fabric came already pleated when I bought it! I think Dev quite likes them too!

2009-10-02T15:48:00.000-07:00

Can't you just see this happening inside the Garfield? This is a song from Charulata (1964): a Satyajit Ray film based on a story by Rabindranath Tagore "Nastoneer"... sung by Kishore Kumar, and starred by Soumitra Chatterjee and Madhabi Mukherjee.

... I definitely need a piano in the Garfield!

Roof Shingles

2009-09-14T23:31:00.001-07:00

I absolutely LOVE the roof! Yes, it has been a long and arduous process, but it was well worth it. And the best part, I didn't need to spend a single penny on shingles! I had been saving left over shingles from all my previous dollhouse projects ... and I was over the moon when I finished my roofing project with about 50 or so pieces left!

Remember the half pack of skinny sticks that was left after I finished the interior moldings? I used the remaining sticks to refine the corners where the roof edges meet. See what difference it makes? A few sticks, a bit of glue and some masking tape ... and limitless patience of course!

There is still a bit more work to do before the roof is completed. I need to add the gingerbread trims and the railings on top, and paint the roof in a dark tone as in my inspiration photo.

Kitchen

2009-08-19T15:40:00.000-07:00

I have decided to use this kitchen set in my Garfield. This photo was taken inside a different dollhouse. Each unit is separate, five pieces in all. I have not finalized the arrangement of the pieces. I think the cream and dark wood will go perfectly with the current color scheme, and the retro look is perfect!

The Garfield Dollhouse Kit Assembly Instructions

2009-08-14T14:27:00.001-07:00

** CLICK on images for LARGE versions **

These are the assembly instructions for the Garfield Kit. Every now and then, I get requests from viewers to send them the instructions. So, I thought I might as well post them to the blog ...

2009-08-07T13:56:00.000-07:00

Another one of my favorite songs from the movie Parineeta. Funny how I keep finding the Garfield in all these Hindi movies ... noticed the Palladian windows with stained glass details? Or the table lamp with the tulip shade? I've always wanted a music room in my dollhouse, and this would be an excellent inspiration room. By the way, that happens to be Vidya Balan singing in this clip ~ the same actress that was dancing in the clip from Bhool Bhulaiyaa.

The Porch Roof

2009-08-05T16:08:00.001-07:00

I glued on the porch roof last night. I have decided to keep the railings detachable. That way, I can remove the railings when I am moving the dollhouse, lowering the chance of breaking those delicate gingerbread trims during the move.

A scary thing happened while I was gluing on the roof pieces. I seem to have lost one of the roof panels. Fortunately, this piece was identical to the piece next to it, and I just cut out the piece from scrap hardboard. If you look at the photo below, it's the piece in the middle ...

See the roof shingles in progress?

Moldings

2009-08-03T16:07:00.000-07:00

This is all you need to create the floor/ceiling moldings ...

... well, maybe a paintbrush too!

I bought two packs of skinny sticks from Hobby Lobby, and I still have half a pack left after creating most of the moldings in my Garfield. At under $10 for both packs, the skinny sticks were considerably cheaper than using dollhouse molding pieces. I painted them with dark brown craft paint, and coated them with high gloss varnish for added durability. I loved the fact that I could cut them at neat angles with regular pliers, and didn't have to bother with the miter saw.

A Word on Paper Clay

2009-08-03T14:29:00.001-07:00

If you are thinking of using paper clay for an upcoming project, you might be interested in reading the review by Nikki Rowe of Witch and Wizard Miniatures. This article was of special interest to me because I really want to use paper clay for the exterior of the Garfield.

Here is the link: http://nikkinikkinikki72.blogspot.com/2009/08/working-with-paperclay-and-makes-of.html

The Stained Glass Window

2009-07-29T08:56:00.001-07:00

As the late afternoon sunlight streamed in through the second floor bay window, I remarked on how forlorn the Garfield Manor looked in her quiet corner of my work room. I have started working on her again, adding a few things here and there ...

The electrical work is complete. I don't think I will be adding any exterior lights. I have paper-taped over all the crazy wires on the exterior: they look much neater now. I have started putting up the roof shingles. They are taking forever, but I am enjoying the slow and steady progress.

I got a fabulous camera lens on my birthday from my dear hubby, and a set of close-up filters from my friend. Thought I'd share photos of the stained glass window.

2009-06-18T16:16:00.000-07:00

This is a song from Bhool Bhulaiyaa, one of my favorite movies. I love the old haveli (mansion) the movie was filmed in. Don't you think the wallpaper shown in the very beginning is a perfect match to my Garfield? I really like the railings ... thinking of adding similar railings to the second and third floor.

Inspiration Photo

2009-02-28T10:28:00.001-08:00

Loved this photo. The bay window shape is a perfect match with the Garfield. Might use some of the architectural details if I am feeling ambitious enough!

Curtains Quandary

2009-02-23T11:29:00.000-08:00

These are the fabric swatches I am considering for the curtains. Let's go from left to right...

On the very left, the fabric is the one I used as wallpaper. Next to it, the first fabric I had chosen for the window treatment. It is silk shot fabric where the color changes depending on what angle you look at it. But the fabric is a little too stiff and I was not looking forward to pleating it. After all, there are about 25 windows including the bay windows, and with 50 panels of curtain to make, I need a fabric that's easy to work with!

Next came the light sage green fabric. It's soft, and would probably work fine with the pleater. But the color was too neutral. That would be my backup fabric.

Below, you see the fabric of my dreams; it is the softest chiffon that transitions from mossy green to gray-green and has glitters all over. BUT, here is the sad story ... this piece of fabric was bought a long time ago, even before I thought of making the Garfield. Since it was bought to dress a doll, I did not think of buying a lot of it. I did go back months later to buy more, but the store did not carry it anymore. So, now I don't have enough fabric for the curtains. I will use it somewhere or the other ... perhaps to create a canopy for the bed.

NOTE: when you find a fabric that you absolutely love, buy a LOT of it. You never know when you will need it.

The final contender, and probably the winner: I found the above fabric at JoAnn fabric and craft store and bought a yard of it immediately! The fabric comes perfectly pleated like this, so I won't even need to take out the pleater! I think that ends my search for curtain fabrics ...

... but does the search really end, ever?

Color Inspiration: Bourton-on-the-Water

2009-02-15T16:30:00.001-08:00

After going through thousands of photos online, I have found the perfect inspiration photo for the exterior of the Garfield. These are photos of the 1/9 scale model villate of Bourton-on-the-Water. Read more about it at: http://www.theoldnewinn.co.uk/village.htm. I love the serene gray color palette, and would really like to capture the aged stone look.

Garfield Manor by Beth

2009-02-12T20:19:00.000-08:00

A few years ago, before I started on the Garfield Kit, these photos were sent to me by Beth, In A Miniature Manor. I found these on my Dollhouse blog, and wanted to share them with you.

Hi, Sumaiya

I built the Garfield back in the early 90s. It's a great house with a lot of possibilities. I'm attaching some pictures of mine, taken before I changed the exterior colors to purple with rose trim.

I highly recommend changing some things to better quality miniatures. These include the front door, the french doors, and the porch railings and trim. I wish I had changed out the inside stair railings too. You can get working windows but it's not cheap so I kept the ones that came with it. The only working windows for the Garfield are made by Timberbrook. Check with a shop if you have one near to see if they still make them.

I was unable to change the very narrow side door that goes into the kitchen, but put a Houseworks double door with Palladian window over in the front. I had to adjust the opening, but it was worth it. Houseworks French doors fit pretty well as I remember.

My Garfield is on a landscaped base. I covered the foundation with mortar and stones (aquarium rocks) and built a slate terrace off the living room.

For the porch I bought posts, rails and balusters separately and designed my own. I advise painting before assembling!

Are you planning to wire your house? I did, making slits in the raw floors to run the tapewire between stories. The system starts from the kitchen.

If you have any questions I'll be happy to try to help you.

Good luck, and have fun!

Beth, In A Miniature Manor
www.minimanor.com

Paperclay Bricks

2009-01-29T11:00:00.000-08:00

I have been really quiet about the Garfield for the past month, haven't I! Truth be told, I have not done a lot with it since the last time. Added a few electrical outlets, almost finished with the interior trims, and did a LOT of thinking about the exterior wall treatment.

I finally decided to go with paperclay. In general, I like this material. In the photo above, you can see the Orchid dollhouse I built in 2007. I will use wooden shingles on the roof.

The famous Tracy Topps of Minis on the Edge generously directed me to the best source of paperclay: http://www.creativepaperclay.com. They sell at bulk and at wholesale prices.

I bought a brick mold from http://www.malcolmsminiatures.co.uk. For the Orchid above, I had to hand score the bricks, and I am hoping the mold would make my task easier.

Brick & Stone Tutorials

2008-12-13T09:48:00.000-08:00

There is a scintillating conversation going on at the Small Stuff Digest about egg carton bricks and stones. From there, I found some really good tutorial links that show you how to make cardboard/styrofoam bricks and stones. Before I forget the links, here they are:

http://www.miniland.ca/EggClass1
http://www.thechinadoll.com/bricktutorial.htm
http://www.miniland.ca/BRICK2.html
http://www.miniland.ca/GardenSteps.html

The following link by Pat Thomas explains an excellent way to make polymer clay bricks.

http://www.thomasopenhouse.com/tips_fimo.html

And this link has some really awesome dollhouse tutorials:
http://www.sylvan.com/~isabella/mini/index.html

Paperclay brick tutorial:
http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/blog/orchid_dollhouse/index.php?cat=69&st=0

Things to look out for - Tips from Becky Winsor

2008-12-06T11:59:00.000-08:00

After my desperate plea for help on the Small Stuff Digest, Becky Winsor came to the rescue. I found her email quite helpful, so I asked her permission to reprint it on the blog:

Hello Sumaiya,
Your question about short circuits hit home with me as I think I've made every mistake possible with wiring. I only use the tape wire and the most common error is not making sure to connect the pink side to the pink side and blue side to blue side when putting in the little brads at tape intersections. You really have to be sure the brads are going through ONLY pink or ONLY blue tape. The second most common mistake, at least by me, is allowing the little light fixture wires to touch once they're connected to the tape. That will definitely short circuit the system. Fortunately, neither of these problems will ruin a system. Once the problem is corrected the system should work just fine.
Best of luck with it,
Becky Winsor

As I was reading the email, I was mentally checking off the possibilities. Since I have a single strip of tape wire, I will not need to worry about connecting blue to blue and pink to pink. But I will definitely double check the fixture wires again to make sure their positive and negative ends aren't touching. Thank you Becky for your tips!

How to Electrify a Dollhouse

2008-12-04T20:38:00.001-08:00

"Oh what a tangled web we weave ..."
I get slightly philosophical when I look at the exterior of the Garfield, crisscrossed with electrical wires. Looks a fright now, doesn't it?

The photo above shows the house from the right hand side. Below are photos taken from the front, the left and the back, respectively.

A single strip of copper tape wire goes around the house. The wires from the interior lights are brought out to the exterior through tiny holes on the walls. These wires are soldered onto the main copper wire, and the junctions are secured with electrical tape.

Front View

Left View

Back View

If you look at the photo below, you can see close-ups of the connections. Instead of using a junction splice, I decided to solder the transformer's lead-in wire directly to the copper tape wire. In my experience, sometimes the junction splice's pins jiggle and lose connection with the tape wire.

So these are the steps. I am eternally paranoid about short circuits. But today, while I was blogging about the electrical work, I came across the most wonderful tutorial on Christine's Blog - Small World Builders. Upon reading the steps of the tutorial, it seems like I did things right, so I am slightly at ease at the moment. Here is the link: http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/blog/christine/index.php?&cat=163

I will cover the wirings with card-stock paper before I put bricks on the exterior. I am a bit anxious though, because once the brickwork goes up, I don't think I will have the patience to take it all down in case of a short circuit. If you find any potential red flags after reading my blog, please leave a comment, or send me a note at smehreen@gmail.com, so that I may fix the problem before I cover it all up.

Stairs Makeover

2008-12-03T11:00:00.001-08:00

I had a problem with the stairs. On the second and third floor, the back rooms are at a slightly lower level from the front rooms. Shown above are the assembled stairs for the second and third floor.

I absolutely detested the original stairs: the first tread is immediately below the doorway. It seemed to me that whoever opened the door would trip and fall unless the stairs were extended a little bit from the doorway. So I bashed the two stairs together to come up with modified stairs for the second floor. Now the lady of the manor can open the door, glide in and gently walk down the stairs. In my opinion, things would be a lot easier if the rooms were at the same level. Any way ...

I didn't much care for the patchwork look on the sides of the stairs. So I covered the sides with card-stock paper and finished off with the same narrow wooden trims I am using in the rest of the house. The stairs were painted dark brown, the treads covered with the same wood-grained Con-Tact paper as the floor, a tiny golden craft-book decal for details, and the entire thing got one coat of glaze.

So, what would happen to the third floor, you may wonder. I am using the wider stairs that were meant for the porch, and promoting them to the third floor. The third floor has an open floor plan, so it doesn't bother me that the stairs start a little lower ... no surprised tumble down the stairs at any rate!

The photo below shows the second and third floor stairs, and part of the trims I am working on currently. More about trims coming up later ...

Molding

2008-11-06T11:19:00.000-08:00

Found this wonderful reference drawing of Victorian Moldings. Although my molding plans for this house are not nearly as ambitious, it's nice to have something to refer to. Click on the drawing to see a larger version.

I think I will have very simple crown moldings and baseboards in addition to the door and window casings provided in the Garfield kit.

Stained Glass Window

2008-10-30T21:11:00.000-07:00

Behold the magic of Gallery Glass Window Color! Found this paint in the glass tiles/stained glass section at Hobby Lobby. The paint becomes more translucent as it dries. The photos show the dry state (above) and the wet state (below) of the paint.

I would suggest painting the windows before assembly, but if you have already finished your house, don't despair! The paint is thick enough to paint the windows at an upright position and dripping can be avoided if you are a little careful. The Gallery Glass paints come in an array of colors. I have used teal and harvest yellow for my manor.

Bay Windows

2008-10-17T17:02:00.000-07:00

The first and second floor bay windows are complete, at least on the inside. The outside will get the same treatment as the rest of the house exterior. At this point the shell of the house is complete. Now comes the fun part of decorating! :D

Landscaping

2008-09-29T19:38:00.000-07:00

The pond arrived today! This will be part of the garden.

Attic Ideas

2008-09-29T19:07:00.000-07:00

Here are some wonderful tips and messages I got from my friends at SmallStuff Digest, and I had to share them on the blog!

-----

One way to make the doorway taller would be to raise the walls of the third floor by separating the third floor wall at the tabs and splicing in a strip of wood wide enough to raise the roofline to whatever height you want the top of the doorway to the tower, and reinforce it on the exterior wall with an ornamental pice of stripwood glued over the "seams", and make new interior walls.

Havana (FL) Holly

-----

Sumaiya? I just left the doorway off when I built mine. I hated the doorway because it blocked the view into the room. I think they made the doorway so small for 2 reasons the first reason is it's a hidden room and the doorways are always smaller and the 2nd reason is that you can take the tower roof off. I glued my tower roof down--didn't want the cat to knock it over and chew on it.

Jene

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If you can't find a good solution to the low door then perhaps you can find comfort in the authenticity of having a low door. Lower than normal doors were frequently used on medieval buildings including towers, castles and cottages. It forced the person entering to stoop. They were unable to come charging into a room, sword at ready, and kill the persons within.

-----

The best way for you to get the best information on your Garfield Manor Kit is at the Greenleaf Website http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com. When you get to the home page click on the Community Link that you will find on the left side of your screen. Then select the Greenleaf Forum. In the forum section scroll down and in the Miniature Forum section and click on the Forum: Questions about a Particular house. Here you will click on the Greenleaf houses and you are on your way to answering many of your guest ions. Another way to get to what you want is to put Garfield Manor in the search box. I hope this helps you.

Barbara

The Main Roof - Dry Fitting

2008-09-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

I had a "So That's Why!" moment today. Apparently, making the tower room door taller was absolutely useless! The slanted roof cuts across the tower room in such a way that it's impossible to have the doorway any taller. I am crushed!

If I were any good at kit-bashing, I'd figure out a way to make the attic roof higher, since right now the third floor rooms seem very cramped and hard to access. I hope the Greenleaf designers will rethink the design in later versions and make the floor-plan more open for maximum use and enjoyment.

The Tower Roof

2008-09-20T11:57:00.001-07:00

I skipped a few steps and decided to work on the tower roof. It would have gone a lot faster if I had used a glue-gun. I used wood glue instead which seems a lot more reliable to me, and it took ages to dry. The gaps between the joints will be covered once I add the roof tiles. I don't know why I decided to wallpaper inside the roof, since I cannot imagine anyone would ever look up inside; I guess this is where my obsessive perfectionist side prevails. I decided to keep the tower roof unglued from the tower room for easy access later.

The Tower Room

2008-09-14T15:53:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite room in the manor now - the tower room. I think I will make it an artist's studio, since the lady of the house loves to paint as the afternoon sunlight streams in through the windows.

The walls still have tiny gaps where they join, but a bit of wood filler on the outside will seal that easily. I am making the tower roof right now...it's taking ages!

The Tower Room Doorway - Why?

2008-09-14T15:38:00.000-07:00

For the love of all that is good in this world...WHY is the doorway shaped this way? It would be a lot prettier if this doorway had the same arch as the other doors and windows for the sake of consistency, or even if it were a regular rectangular doorway!

Well, I made the doorway taller, so that my doll could walk through without bumping his head. :) I will have to make a door later out of scrap particle board.

Second Floor - Back Room

2008-09-08T14:37:00.000-07:00

I was up all night last night finishing up the second floor. The closets were installed, the back wall went up, and finally, the wiring was soldered for the hanging tiffany lamp. Other than the steps, moldings and doors, the second floor is complete.

I love the lights. As of now, there are 4 modern chandeliers, 2 tiffany lamps and 4 tulip sconces in the house ... first and second floor. I plan to add more lights on the third floor, and some electrical outlets on each floor for additional table lamps as needed. Dear reader, if you love this house, please say a little prayer for it so that the circuit never shorts out! :)

The Corner Cupboard

2008-08-12T14:53:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the work of my friend Kathy Calhoun, I was nudged into action and decided to install the corner cupboard on the first floor. Originally, the cupboard did not have a wood backing, and the wallpaper was supposed to show through. However, I created solid backing using scrap particle-board. Instead of having three shelves, I have only one high shelf. I would probably keep one ornate floral arrangement or hang a painting in that corner.

To see Kathy's progress on her Garfield, visit: kathycalhoun.blogspot.com.

My Favorite Place In The House

2008-07-19T11:11:00.000-07:00

This is the second floor landing, and my favorite spot in the Garfield. You look in through the balcony and catch a tantalizing glimpse of this otherwise hidden corner.

A Quick Glance At Where We Stand

2008-07-10T17:09:00.001-07:00

Pardon the mess please! It is, after all, a construction zone. :) Just wanted to post a photo of the structure as of now. Bought a simple and inexpensive cart from Home Depot: easier to move the house to a corner when I am done for the day.

The Second Floor Landing

2008-07-08T16:17:00.000-07:00

I am loving the lights that went on the landing walls. Firstly, I covered the side facing us with fabric. Then I made holes for the lights to go through. The wires go around the doorway and out a small hole to the exterior of the structure. Then I hid the exposed wires with fabric "wallpaper" on the other side of these walls. The exterior of the house is a mess right now with wires and tapes, but all will be hidden when the faux brick goes up.

I just adore the tiny window above the bathroom door!

The Kitchen

2008-06-15T16:03:00.000-07:00

The last scene of the dollhouse animation was filmed in the kitchen area, and the back wall had to be left open because of that particular camera angle. With the animation complete, I can resume construction on the Garfield. Finally, the back wall is up and the kitchen light working.

Second Floor Railing

2008-06-08T15:53:00.000-07:00

Assembled, painted and decorated the second floor railing today. If you remember the staircase, this is the same Asian-influenced ornamentation that was used there.

"Ke" - The Animation

2008-05-25T17:45:00.000-07:00

Wanted to share the final version of the animation that was filmed inside the Garfield. It was filmed mostly in the downstairs living-room, and partly in the kitchen.

Setting the Stage

2008-05-25T17:28:00.000-07:00

Construction on the Garfield was at a stand-still for the last three months, because it was being used to film a short animation. Only the living room had been used: the furniture and lighting change made all the difference! This is one of the settings created for the animation.

I am thinking of changing the curtains to something more substantial and formal. The lace was a quick and cheap solution because I did not have to take time to drape it meticulously. I will also take down the moldings I used in this room and use a thinner molding: the thick concave shape of the molding makes it difficult cut at angles, and does not meet perfectly at the corners.

Adding to the Decor

2008-05-10T22:16:00.000-07:00

My classes are officially over now: the graduation ceremony was yesterday. I can't wait to get back to working on the Garfield. I have been buying random decoration items for the house. I was excited about these two art glass pitchers that I had won for under $4 on eBay! They finally arrived yesterday.... Aren't they just perfect?

Color Scheme

2008-03-18T10:43:00.001-07:00

For a while now, I have been thinking about the color scheme for decorating the house, and today I found this perfect photo to inspire me! I love succulents: there is a soothing subtleness about them. This will go perfectly with the dark walnut and cream upholstered furniture in my collection.

Lights

2008-02-04T19:57:00.000-08:00

The chandelier is working! Talk about suffering for art: I burnt my hand while soldering the connections. Note to self: never watch Lost and handle the soldering iron at the same time!

Hello From the Constructions Site

2007-11-30T07:18:00.000-08:00

The first floor front section is complete. I tested the chandeliers by sticking the ends of the wire in a small 3 Volt battery box. I was afraid that the connection might have broken or something, but at least these two are fine for now! I am putting in floor and ceiling molding to hide the edges. However, you might have seen that where the walls meet vertically, especially in the bay window area, there is a noticeable gap. I am hoping it will become less obvious when I seal the edges from outside. And finally, the curtains I put in will cover the edges anyway.

Windows & Walls

2007-11-28T00:00:00.000-08:00

I love the frames! I wish I could afford the working windows, but ... Oh Well! A few of the inner walls (2nd and 3rd floor) are yet to be papered. I had bought 4 yards of fabric: just to be on the safe side. I bought upholstery-grade fabric, which was more expensive than regular cotton; but I was really looking for something with a slight sheen, and cotton was just not doing it!

Dry Fitting

2007-11-12T23:05:00.001-08:00

The major walls are complete. Next step: wallpaper smaller walls and add interior trims; add wall sconces and power outlets; glue when everything is finalized.

A Setback Due To Botched Schematics!

2007-11-12T22:58:00.001-08:00

I couldn't believe my eyes when I tried to dry fit the walls on Saturday! As soon as I reached step 2 of wall assembly, I hit a major snag. Apparently, the diagram of the left wall (on sheet 11) was labeled incorrectly. As a result, there was a strip of exposed slots right under the ceiling.

So I had to redo the first floor wallpaper as well as fix the bottom part of the second floor. Note to self: contact Greenleaf and ask them to make the changes on their diagrams!

Some valuable tips I learned from this quandary:

Do not paste the entire fabric to the wall if possible. Glue only along edges, so that if and when you need to pull out the fabric, it is easier to remove.
Dry fit the parts before wallpapering to make sure the schematics are correct.
Buy extra fabric ~ because chances are, mistakes will happen!

The Floors Have Been Floored!

2007-10-29T16:36:00.000-07:00

Finally, the floors are complete...almost! This includes wiring the ceiling lights as well as the faux wood tiles. Doesn't look like much, right? But consider this...I had to cut 1 in. square tiles out of the wood-textured Con-Tact paper, peel them and paste them in a perfect checker-board pattern. Total cost of finishing the floors is less than $15 ~ which is considerably less than what I would have to pay if I used actual wood veneers.

Chandelier Connections

2007-10-07T09:00:00.001-07:00

After planning out where the chandeliers would go, I took out my wood-burning tool and made holes through which the chandeliers would be threaded. I also traced shallow grooves on the floor, so that the wires would lay flat, and not create bumps when I add the mosaic.

On the opposite side, which is the ceiling for the level below, you can see the chandelier's hanging. I still haven't decided what color to paint the ceiling. That will depend on the wallpaper color.

Electrifying!

2007-10-06T15:49:00.000-07:00

As far as the dollhouse goes, I am in the process of putting in electrical connections. I found these helpful tips on http://www.dollshouse.com/flash/demonstration.html where there are flash demonstrations of how to electrify dollhouses by using either copper tapes or socket strips. I am using the "copper tape" method. My chandeliers have arrived: 6 as of now. They have been hung on the ceiling and the faux mosaic applied. I am still looking for good deals on wall sconces.

Floor

2007-06-08T17:04:00.001-07:00

Finally the floor is finished! well...at least the first floor: 2 more levels to go! Don't worry about the black patch in the middle; that's where the staircase goes. The interior has a checkerboard pattern of oak and mahogany. The porch is done in dark wood planks.

One tip: instead of using real wood veneers, I used wood textured Con-Tact paper. That was considerably cheaper and lighter than wood, easier to cut and fit into tricky corners. Finally, the floor received a thick coat of Krylon Triple Thick Crystal Clear Glaze. That gave the floor a rich and glassy finish, and I can rest assured that the contact paper will not peel off.

The Oriental Staircase

2007-06-01T17:41:00.001-07:00

I think I got a *little* carried away with the staircase decoration! The ruby rhinestones and hand-drawn gilded swirls create an air of opulence and grandeur that is fit for a nabob! Which is giving me an idea of how the master of this manor should be ...

He is a rich (and handsome, obviously) young man: an adventurer, a lover ~ in short, someone whose mere presence makes a girl swoon! He is ever restless ~ climbing mountaintops in Nepal one moment ... and in the next, hunting man-eating lions in Africa. And yet, there is the quieter side of him, that loves to read and explore ~ did I mention he takes a keen interest in archeology?

Upstairs & Downstairs

2007-05-23T19:23:00.001-07:00

The stairs are done! After they were assembled, I painted them in dark chocolate and black acrylic paint. Finally, they got a thick coat of gloss varnish. I decided to close off the small storage closet under the stairs.

The stairs are far from being finished though! The house will have an Oriental decor, so the staircase needs to be dressed up considerably!

First Floor Base

2007-05-16T17:32:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love it when the parts come together as they are supposed to? :) I had to trim some of the tabs a little bit so they fit in the slots better. The gaps can be filled in with wood filler later. I must admit, once I started assembling the kit, it seems less daunting. The next step is to assemble the staircase.

Laying the Foundation

2007-05-09T23:41:00.000-07:00

So, I finally made the plunge! Last night, I started on the Garfield Manor. Note to self: dollhouse instructions are not the easiest to decipher!