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Tag: Dollhouses

Friday, December 25th, 2009

Making Miniature Food Replicas For Dollhouses and Craft Projects

Nothing completes the lived in look of a dollhouse or other similar craft product quite like having scrumptious food sitting out on a counter or table. Buying these items is, of course, the easy way to go. Making them, however, is a whole lot more fun.

If you’re up to the challenge of crafting foods for your miniature kitchen, you’ll find there are a lot of things you can make in your own home that will give your dollhouse a more authentic look. Most projects are very simple and can even be created by youngsters who want to lend a hand. Some, however, will require a steady hand and a very patient touch.

To get started making your own food replicas for your dollhouse, you’ll have to do a few things in advance. They include:

Deciding what you want to make;

Scouring or dreaming up ideas for crafting and preserving the foods;

Collecting the necessary materials.

You will find that many food replica projects rely on basic materials that can be found in most craft shops.

Sample Projects You Can Try

There are a number of fairly easy and affordable projects you can try. Many will call for an investment in craft supplies, but most of these items can be used to make other projects. Some projects that are fairly easy to tackle include:

Creating raw eggs – There’s nothing like the look of raw eggs cooking in a pan to give a dollhouse kitchen a homey look. To create your own, you’ll need a tar gel acrylic medium and yellow acrylic paint. Make sure you have the surface you want the eggs in or on ready. Now, create your yolks by dotting yellow paint onto the surface. You can make a broken yolk look by using a toothpick to pull out your dabs. For the whites, use the tar gel to create the desired shape. If necessary, a white acrylic medium can also be used. Should you not be sure where you’d like your eggs to go when complete, craft them on a slick ceramic tile and gently scrape them off for placement once they are fully dry.

Polymer clay foods – This is the medium used for making most dollhouse and craft foods. It can be used to create such things as peaches, apples, pancakes, waffles and a host of other foods. Just use acrylic paint or another dying medium to add your desired color to the clay. Shape and then bake according to manufacturer instructions. Do keep your scale in mind when you’re working with the clay. To make waffles, for example, it’s a good idea to actually mold the shapes using a dollhouse waffle iron.

Cakes and other finished look designs – To create scaled and realistic looking cakes, you’ll need a color computer printer, acrylic paints and florist foam. Cut your cake (foam) to the desired shape. Select a picture for the top of the cake and print. Affix the picture (wrapping the sides, too) with your printer paper. Once you have a clean look, “frost” the cake by using dabs of acrylic paint to build up a more three-dimensional look.

Sure, it’s easier to buy replica foods for dollhouses and craft projects. It’s a whole lot more fun, however, to whip them up in your own kitchen!

Learn more about the fascinating world of miniatures. For a great selection of wooden doll houses, visit www.TheMagicalDollhouse.com today.

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Sunday, December 6th, 2009

Cleaning House – Caring For Your Dollhouse

We all have things in our lives that hold some sort of sentimental or monetary value. For some, it is a prized collection of coins or rare books. For others it is an irreplaceable antique or piece of jewelry. It is these things that always require special care and preservation, whether it is a yearly polishing or a consistent cleaning.

The same practice holds true for avid dollhouse collectors. Dollhouses are basically miniature replicas of a large-scale home, equipped with wood furnishings, electrical lights and even miniature pieces of china and crystal. Dollhouses, and their accessories, require the same kind of loving care that a regular home needs.

First of all, you should never place a dollhouse in a room that gets direct sunlight. The suns rays can heavily damage the delicate woods used in making most dollhouses. It can cause paint, wallpaper and fabrics to fade dramatically. And in extreme degrees of temperature changes, it could even end up warping or cracking the wood.

Another thing to keep in mind when caring for dollhouses is to always dust it regularly. Dust collects in our own homes on a daily basis, and the same holds true for dollhouses. All the accessories are so small and intricate that they require a good dusting and polishing to maintain their value and beauty. The dolls, animals or other small figurines you purchase for your dollhouse should also be dusted regularly to maintain their quality.

You should never store a dollhouse in damp climate. Dampness, such as in a basement, can deteriorate the materials used to make a dollhouse. It can also lead to mold development that can be difficult to remove or eliminate from fabrics or carpeting. You should also be weary of storing a dollhouse in the attic because moths or other household varmints could do damage to the house itself or its accessories.

Be sure to keep your dollhouse away from household pets. Pets love to chew and nibble on small objects, and what better chew toy than a piece of dollhouse furniture or a miniature figurine? Small children and toddlers should also be kept away from dollhouses. Children of this age like to put things in their mouths. The small accessories present a choking hazard to younger children who don’t understand the value of what they are touching.

Not all dollhouses are going to be detailed enough to go to extreme measures of protection. But for most avid collectors, these precautions are necessary. In fact, one of the best ways to store a prized dollhouse is to have a special case made for it, usually from a clear material. This prevents dust from collecting on items inside the house and it keeps pets and small kids from touching it. And if you are a smoker, a case is a great way to keep smoke from tobacco away from the dollhouse.

Prized possessions need proper care, so it is best to stay on top of keeping your dollhouse in tip-top shape.

Learn more about the fascinating world of miniatures. Visit TheMagicalDollhouse.com today for a great dollhouse and dollhouse accessories from top miniature companies.

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Friday, November 27th, 2009

A Miniature History of Dollhouses

Tracing the history of the modern dollhouse starts with items that bore little resemblance to the toys and collector pieces of today. 

The earliest known miniature replicas date back to ancient Egypt, found within the tomb of Meketre. These wooden replicas of buildings, boats, animals, and people capture a glimpse of life in Egypt four thousand years ago. Some of these highly valued miniatures are located in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and the miniatures have spawned many copies of the originals. 

Moving forward, most doll “houses” built before the invention of the modern dollhouse took the form of religious artefacts detailing Christ’s Nativity scene. These original doll “mangers” are still created today and can often be found in churches and homes during the Christmas Season. 

However, the first recorded proof of a modern dollhouse turns up in 1544, the house created by Duke Albrecht V of Germany for his daughter. This opulent dollhouse was said to have had four floors, sixty-three windows, and seventeen doors. Sadly, the house no longer exists, presumably destroyed in a fire. All that remains of this creation was its inventory list. 

After this time, dollhouses were made for royalty, seen more as collector’s items than toys, but enthusiasm for these exquisitely detailed houses spread throughout Europe’s middle class. Skilled craftsmen, cabinet makers, and other artisans were employed to construct these beautiful dollhouses. 

Germany produced some of the best and most detailed dollhouses during this period, yet the most impressive and one of the oldest existing houses hails from Holland. The Utrecht House, built in 1680, resembled a cabinet with fifteen separate rooms and a garden. Dutch artists spared no expense in adding gemstones and creating miniature replicas of paintings and furniture for some of their creations. 

The oldest Colonial-style dollhouse in North America is located in the Nursery at the Van Courtland Museum. Built in 1744, this impressive house is a replica of a New York City mansion. It is the only dollhouse in America that is older than the US itself. 

Until the advent of the Industrial Revolution, dollhouses were mostly exclusive to the rich and royal. When toy factories began mass-producing dollhouses and suitable wooden furniture, the items continued to be of good quality but with lesser focus on detail. To the excitement of girls in middle-class families, these toys became affordable for everyone. 

By the end of World War II, toy factories stopped making houses out of wood in lieu of plastic because of cheaper production value and a recovering American economy after the war. 

Today, we live in a time where new dollhouses come in the many forms: mass-produced plastic, plywood and fibreboard, even some classic artistic accomplishments that rival those made in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The popularity of dollhouses hasn’t waned but instead has been increased by the variety of toy choices in the world. A walk around any large-scale toy store can prove that. What can be made today is only limited by our own imagination and pocketbook.

Visit the place for dollhouses and miniatures. Find everything from play dollhouses for young children to grand mansions for collectors. We specialize in doll house kits for every skill level and budget. And don?t forget the dollhouse furniture! Visit us online at http://www.TheMagicalDollhouse.com today!

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Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

Giving Dollhouses as Gifts

Dollhouses are wonderful gifts for both children and adults. Children love the interactivity of this fabulous toy. A toddler’s imagination will run rampant, inspired by the familiar backdrop of home and family. Older kids see a dollhouse as a fashion statement, a chance to play with the emerging roles of adulthood. A dollhouse provides a safe place to role play adult responsibilities, as well as a wonderful backdrop for expression of self and decorating tastes. Young adults often view dollhouses as collector’s items, the first real item of lasting value that they will acquire. In middle age, dollhouses begin to take on a somewhat nostalgic air, as changing life roles and empty nest syndrome may lead middle-aged adults to use the dollhouse as a psychological remembrance of when things were different. The elderly love dollhouses for a variety of different reasons, ranging from nostalgia to a hobby that they can share and pass on to grandchildren. 

While dollhouses hold a universal fascination and appeal, the specific dollhouse that you give as a gift will depend on the recipient. A dollhouse for a young child should be sturdy and not easily damaged. Small parts should also be avoided, due to possible choking hazards. Keep a child’s dollhouse simple, allowing a neutral backdrop to fuel the child’s imagination. Some experts believe that bright colors are best for children’s toys, while others feel that a neutral decorating scheme will provide the maximum opportunity for children’s imaginations to fill in the details. A child’s dollhouse should be simple in design, without electricity or other possible hazards. 

When purchasing a dollhouse for an older child, take care to provide a dollhouse that reflects their sense of personal style. But do not be offended if the the child repaints and redecorates the dollhouse several times. Provide a reasonably complete and furnished dollhouse, but leave room for personal expression. 

When buying or building a dollhouse for an adult, focus on the recipient’s interests and sense of style. Remember that a person’s current home does not necessarily reflect all of his or her interests, so do not be afraid to move beyond the person’s current style into the realm of his or her imagination. Nonetheless, the dollhouse will be a stylistic focal point for the room in which it is displayed, so be sure that your design will work with the furnishings already in that room. 

Ultimately, there is no right answer as to which style or design of dollhouse will make the perfect gift. Take the person’s age and stylistic preferences into account, but put your personal stamp on the dollhouse as well. Remember to consider the amount of room that the recipient has available to display the dollhouse. If surface space is at a premium in the recipient’s home, a taller, narrower custom design might work the best. Whatever design decisions you make regarding the dollhouse gift, keep in mind that it is truly a labor of love. A handcrafted or kit-built dollhouse will be much more meaningful than an already finished off the shelf model.

Add to your miniature collection, or start a new one! Come see our large selection of wooden doll houses and accessories. Visit us online at http://www.TheMagicalDollhouse.com today.

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Saturday, November 21st, 2009

Make Your Big Love Of Dollhouses Fit Into Small Spaces

Most miniature collectors dream of having an entire room in their home in which to display their collection. Collectors that are more avid may even need an entire wing. Regardless, most hobbyists do not have this kind of space and must suffice for a corner of their regular living space in which to highlight their love for miniatures. There are several good options available for small dollhouse needs that will allow you to squeeze your passion for dollhouses into some tight spaces.

Sometimes, less is more. Focusing on a single-room dollhouse can be a good way to save on space. You can put your creative energy into minute detailing, and you may be surprised at how much attention a single room requires. By taking the time to select the perfect floor pattern to the intricate design on the throw tapestry, you’ll get just as much enjoyment out of your small dollhouse room. Plus, you’ll save on having to spend money on detailing the exterior of a single dwelling dollhouse.

You can also trim the scale to have a small dollhouse that takes up less space. The most common scale for miniatures is 1:12, but there are small dollhouse sets scaled to 1:24 and even as tiny as 1:144. By scaling down, you can enjoy a full dollhouse in a smaller amount of space.

In some cases, you can apply the same principle that has been utilized in cities all over the world. When there is no more ground to build on, start building up. If you just don’t have the floor space to set up a larger miniature display, consider using a multilevel dollhouse, or townhouse style small dollhouses. These taller, narrower sets allow you to have several levels of display space without using up any additional square footage in your home.

No matter how tight your living space, there are viable options for you to express your passion for miniatures. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t have room to set up a full display, but instead take a great deal of pride in how you are able to creatively use what little bit of space that you do have. You may find that your best work is done when you incorporate your small dollhouse display into the framework of a room where you never thought you’d have room to set one up.

Learn more about the fascinating world of miniatures. Visit TheMagicalDollhouse.com today for a great selection of space conscious doll house miniatures and dollhouse accessories from top miniature companies.

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