Just FYI: If you have been trying to find Robin Betterley’s kit for the Ravenwood house (micro-scale 1/144), they have it in stock again:
https://www.robinbetterley.com/product/secret-house-ravenwood/127
This is how mine turned out. I love these secret houses!
Finally, I finished a new mini! This is called “Balcony Daydreaming,” and is one of the “Little Kits” that are available from Miniatures.com and also on Amzn and elsewhere.
The scale is roughly 1/2″ to the foot, but it’s not precise. Precision isn’t the point here!
I picked this because a) it’s cute and makes me smile; b) it’s not something I had to put a lot of concentration on–writing has been dominating my time. Right now I’m writing a book set in Ancient Rome, and between figuring out the story and researching the time period, I haven’t had a lot of hours for minis. These kits are a relaxing way to take a break.
Anyway–done! Scroll for pics and then tips on building it.
Tips:
The kit comes with glue and paint, but I put them aside to use my own. Tacky glue works well, and superglue is good for anything built of of the thin wire (chair legs, bench legs, etc).
I also swapped out the kit fabric for my own.
As much as I prefer to build the structure first and then make the furniture and accessories, you have to have the accessories done before gluing the walls together. The right side with the floor-to-ceiling windows is enclosed, no openings, so you have to put all the accessories in place before you build the walls around them. There’s a small opening to the right of the sliding door (which doesn’t actually slide), but it’s too narrow to really reach anything.
Have a small box or bowl to keep all the accessories in as you build them. I used an empty (and clean) take-out butter container for the tiny pieces.
I coated the walls, which are particleboard, with gesso before I painted with craft paint. Paint both sides at once to prevent warping.
My only complaint is the the photos in the instruction book are very small. The pics are really the only guidance, and it would be nice if they were a tad larger! I have bad eyesight as it is. But I got through it.
Music or an audiobook is good company while making this kit!
This is the second Little Kit I’ve done. The first one is Dora’s Loft:
This one was much more complicated! So of course I did it first.
Balcony Daydreaming is a better one to start with. Fairly easy and cute.
Be warned: These kits are addicting. I have two more sitting in the closet waiting: The “Happy Camper” and a music studio (I bought that one via Amzn).
The link to the kits at miniatures.com: https://www.miniatures.com/Little-Kits-C952.aspx
Some of them are stackable so you can make a little house.
I don’t need any more of these, but I’m looking at the coffee house, or maybe the kitchen, or maybe the ice cream shop …
Jenn's Mini Worlds: A Dollhouse Miniaturist's Blog 