5 comments about Mixed-Media Dollhouses: Techniques and Ideas for Doll-size Assemblages.

1. Not quite what I was expecting, but interesting. I don't think I would make these like they are depicted in the book but the concept was good.



2. I ordered this book a few weeks ago without ever seeing any part of the inside. As a mixed media artist, I have many artsy books and thought I had seen in all, but this book is over the top. Just beautiful from cover to cover!



3. I bought this book for inspiration, and it did not disappoint. I do my own thing, but looking at the work in this book helped me get started on my own assemblages. It combines altered art, assemblage making, and doll house work in a very pleasing way, all things I enjoy.
   
   It's one of those books that I will enjoy browsing through when relaxing. I'm glad I bought it.



4. This book is a lot of fun & wonderful photos. It is nice to see altered art making a presence in book form & the fact that so many artists contributed is a wonderful compilation!



5. Love this book. It is unusual in its approach to making dollhouses but not sweet little things we usually see in books on this subject.
   I have begun projects inspired by this book and intend to continue with these art forms. Must have for quirky artists.

5 comments about Anatomy of a Doll: The Fabric Sculptor's Handbook.

1. Looking through the book I see a lot of potential for me
   to be a doll maker and I can hardly wait to get started.



2. this is a great book for doll makers. A valuable resource to my collection.



3. This is a book to get you INSPIRED to create your own designs. This is not a book filled with patterns for you to copy. It is about technique with wonderful photos and illustrations.
   This is a great book for a doll-maker whether experienced or novice. But if you feel that you are too new in doll making and you need patterns or step-by-step instruction then this is probably not for you at this time.



4. I do not buy craft books that I can't see whats inside, because its a good way to be bummed when you get the book. When I tried to look at the pictures in this book, and their other book, they were all blocked; what a bummer looked like a good book.



5. Very detailed information on many types of soft doll construction. It is filled with excellent techniques and ideas. If you are interested in making soft sculpture dolls this is a great resource.

5 comments about A Beginners' Guide to the Dolls' House Hobby: Revised and Expanded Edition.

1. This is a truly wonderful resource for a beginner such as myself. Having recently been gifted with a hand-crafted dollhouse (made in high-school shop class by a local teenager) I had no idea where to begin. This book gave me so many wonderful ideas and so much very helpful how-to advice that I wish I could do a dozen houses.



2. This is a great book for anyone who is restoring a dolls' house and would like some history, architectural information and handy patterns for creating small 1:12 scale furniture and items. There are great pieces throughout regarding wallpaper, design elements, equipment needed, walls, framing, fire places, roofing, house finishes and much more. If you're busy restoring a dolls' house or are just interested in the hobby this book is fun to flip through as well as a great reference piece.



3. Terrific book with the right information... Just so when you have two little girl grand children... Poppy will be very popular



4. This book is a fine representative in the "ultimate" series. It is entertaining, informative, and has wonderful illustrations of historical dollhouses. It will interest several audiences: the historian, the collector of antiques, and the hobbyist, who will find good ideas for building and furnishing his or her own dollhouse.



5. I purchased the original edition of Jean Nisbett's book years ago and absolutely loved it! There are lots of beautiful color photos throughout and useful tables in the book. She provides a handy metric conversion table, a fine description of the different periods of which most dollhouses are designed and decorated, and offers many projects for dollhouse components and accessories. I haven't yet looked through her revised edition, but I'm sure it can only hold more wonderful pieces of information, guidelines and ideas. Inspiring and useful!

5 comments about Dolls' House Shops, Cafes & Restaurants.

1. I liked the book, but I was expecting to learn how to make the miniatures on the front. It's basically a collection of photographs of shops with a few instructions.



2. This book has many photos of cute ideas. It was good for inspiration but not much else.



3. The 'Dolls House , Shops, Cafes & Restaurants' book contains a treasure chest of inspirational ideas for the miniature enthusiast who is looking to expand their creative interests.



4. Dolls' House Shops, Cafes & Restaurants
   This book just makes me want to make stuff and isn't that what it's all about? Aside from the fact that you'll never again put a scrap of cardstock or the top of a pill bottle in the recycling bin again, there's not one project in this book that doesn't make the mini enthusiast want to get sticky fingers. Best of all, unlike a lot of other books, DH Shops doesn't insist on polished perfection. A lot of the vignettes contain objects that show the hand of the maker and it's obvious that Nisbett just really likes to MAKE things. She has some high-end minis in her rooms but she also has lots of box top endtables, framed postcards and walls covered with gift wrap that are within everyone's means. I guarantee you'll find tons of great ideas and lots of inspiration to get you taking a second look at that empty antacid bottle. Highly recommended.



5. A tremendous amount of excellent photos with a wide variety of ideas. Very useful for anyone who is going to decorate a miniaute shop as a source of inspiration and information.

5 comments about Making Furniture & Dollhouses for American Girl and Other 18-Inch Dolls.

1. I'm a reasonably accomplished woodworker. I bought this book to use the plans to quickly put together some doll furniture for my daughter. The project I started with -- the bunk beds -- is flat out wrong in several instances. The author fails to do the most basic things like account for tenon length in the plans, and forgets to include all of the copies of some of the items in the materials list. The descriptions are in fact a hindrance to accomplishing the project. This is the worst plans-containing book I've ever bought, and quite frankly I'd like my money back. This is a scam, essentially.



2. The accessories in the book were very nice - but the instructions are mostly word based and the pictures are not step by step. The "house" portion of the book is lacking - sure it gives some good information on houses, but leaves you to design it yourself. The only thing in the book on "dollhouses" is the small one room one story house that you see on the cover. I will get some good use from this book, and I might even be able to sell some of the items online after making them, but overall I was disappointed with this book. --TODDL



3. the book has lots o f nice plans, most have patterns that are to scale, a couple of the bigger patterns have to be enlarged which cannot be easily done at home i took it to staples and it cost me about $8.00,it would br nice if for these plans it had a fold out full size pattern for these pieces.
   
   I also found out tha Lowes caries a lot of the smaller size boards in several species which saves a lot of time cutting 3/4" boards down.
   
   All and all this book is well worth the money,I am in the process of building my daughter the bunk bed for her dolls for Christmas.



4. Haven't built anything yet but the book looks very good. I like the drawings.
   I am barely a novice...I bought Woodworking for Dummies also.



5. My husband and I can't wait to start building furniture for the 18" dolls. He really enjoyes working with wood.

5 comments about Food Displays: Step-By-Step Instructions for over 40 Projects (Dolls House Do-It-Yourself).

1. I work in miniatures building houses, furniture and dressing dolls. Now looking forward to "feeding the dolls." The book is both a motivator and teacher.



2. I thought this book was well written and had tons of photographs to help guide you. The instructions are a little brief, I would have liked a little more step-by-step detail, but there were lots of "final product" photos for each item that you could refer to and figure things out. Really enjoyed the book overall, especially as a companion to a couple other food display books I had purchased.



3. A great book! This book's main strength is that it clearly shows the author's techniques for creating different colors and textures with polymer clay that are seen in real food. Appealing to beginners, the book covers the basics of working with polymer clay, including mixing colors and which tools you'll need. The book also shows techniques for making dishes and even cutting boards from which to display your work. Truly a must-have for the budget-conscious beginner or enthusiast!



4. My son requested tis book as he worked with miniatures before and wanted more. It looks wonderful and I'm glad I found it for him. It is to be a Christmas present and I'm sure he will love it.



5. This is an excellent resource book for miniaturists. Contains some different and fresh ideas other books of a similar nature do not have. My only criticism is that the step-by-step photos could be larger. Otherwise, a very good, thought-provoking publication.

4 comments about The Big Book of the Dolls' House.

1. This book is a must for miniature enthusiasts! It has great detailed pictures that are sure to inspire your own special creation. The book also features several easy step by step projects to complete your dollhouse or roombox!



2. THis book is the best I have ever seen .The subject is meant for more than a childs plaything and obviously a great hobby.. My younest grandaughter wants poppy to make all of the houses in the book.. well that is interesting and the details in the book make for dreams..
   The photographs and explanations are excellent and anybody that is interested in a sedate hobby should include this as a reference book...



3. This is a wonderful book with many great ideas for making dollhouses. It explains each type of house from the most prominent eras. Tudor, Georgian, Regency, Victorian, Edwardian, and onward just to name a few. It is clearly set up and a joy to read. There are many great color pictures to go along with the text.



4. Pretty good book. It has lots of pictures and ideas in it for your own doll house. I wish that I had seen the table of contents before I bought it. It didn't have much victorian stuff in it.

5 comments about Build Your Own Inexpensive Dollhouse.

1. We made a dollhouse from one sheet of wood with hardly any waste. It came out really cute! I do not work with wood normally and I did it. I was very happy! It is a nice size for the fisher-price bendable dolls. It closes up to put away. It has an attic where the child could put outdoor furniture or a barbie pool or you could use it for storage.



2. This is a useful book and provides a good basis for learning how to design and assemble a dollhouse built from scratch.



3. If you want what HFH builds, a simple, decent house, this book is for you. The fact that it's still in print after over thirty years should tell you something. This is a simple, solid, easy to build dollhouse from a single sheet of plywood. It's to the 1"-1' scale. It has a back and a front, something a lot of dollhouses don't have.
   
   This is a sturdy home that a child could sit on without harming. He uses one piece of 4' X 8' X 1/2" wood, which can be as expensive as you like. The directions are clear, the cutting pattern is laid out for you, and he tells how to make its simple construction even easier (for instance, not beveling a roof piece) but then goes on to tell you how to make it fancier (adding moldings, attic dormers, flower boxes, shutters). He even shows you how to make doors.
   
   His house has a staircase, which again not all dollhouses have, but he believes is important to the house. There is a living room, dining room, kitchen, adult bedroom, child bedroom and bath. There are over 40 diagrams and pictures. This would be a good first woodworking project (maybe after a birdhouse) for an adult to do with a child. The child would get to learn about fractions, moving one-dimensional ideas to three-dimensional reality, tools, safety, how to sand, countersink holes and then putty, nailing, etc. Even decorating!
   
   You can't ask for more from a $5.95 book.



4. This book is not for the person who wants a dollhouse with gingerbread trim...I mean, the author doesn't seem to care too much about architectural detail. For the handyman type who wants to build a dollhouse for a child to play with, this book will suit you, but I do think spending a few dollars more on pre-cut pieces of higher quality wood to suit the overall size of the dollhouse would be worth the extra cost. Trying to do the house with a single sheet of plywood creates more work than necessary and the sanding of the cut edges can be tedious. So, my advice is to use the basics provided in this book and modify them slightly to make your own unique dollhouse. Don't be afraid to make it slightly larger or smaller, add a few pieces of decorative trim and create something a little bit prettier than the house on the cover. :)



5. This book is invaliable for the beginner hobbist. Gives details on how to start and finish simple dollhouse using minimal tools. A must have for the begginer or child hobbist.

5 comments about Making Doll's House Miniatures with Polymer Clay.

1. This book's instructions are so easy to follow and the items are so much fun to make. It has a great selection of projects that can be used in every room of the dollhouse. I am new to polymer clay and this was the perfect introduction for me. I sold my first creations, three pumpkin patch pumpkins, on eBay within a week. My oven has been full of clay creations ever since I bought this book.



2. This is a book good for beginner has step by step guide how to make the individual items. IT is a value for money book for beginner.



3. My son used his sister's copy of this book and loved it. He asked for it for Christmas and I bought it and received it so quickly, I was impressed. I can't wait to give it to him. It looks very impressive to me, also.



4. The variety of projects in this book and the step-by-step explanations, make it a great resource for beginners and experienced miniature makers.
   I would recommend this book to anyone who's interested in making their own dollhouse miniatures!



5. I made myself a miniature drugstore since I am a pharmacist and I had trouble finding things like mortars and cylinders. Thanks to this book I managed to make the most beautiful look-alike mortars with pestles and all, also a little turn-of-the-century (last century, of course) telephone. The directions are precise and you can really get what you are looking for (and I had never touched polymer clay in my life!)

5 comments about The Dollhouse Book.

1. The design of this book is enticing as it is shaped like a house. As you open the front of the house to peek into the wonderful historical dollhouses from Europe and America displayed in clear, sharp color photographs, it is like you are entering into the tiny rooms so carefully arranged and maintained for centuries in some cases. The concise commentary puts them into historical perspective. My grandchildren love the book, they play with it as if it were a toy when they visit. Even my son took a long look and said "these dollhouses are truly works of art." It makes me think of Gulliver's Travels - it is a journey into strange and mysterious lands inhabited by tiny people. I keep in on my coffee table for everyone to enjoy. For those like me who are thinking of starting a dollhouse and interested in history and art it is both daunting and inspiring.



2. I spent hours with this book! The histories the author gave on the dollhouses in this book were fascinating, and the photos! WOW! Once you open it, it's hard to put down.



3. The book's shape is the first eye-catcher - cleverly done! Many photos, drawings, bios and histories make this a great gift which, I can assure you, will be appreciated!



4. This was a very cool book! The first thing you notice when you pick up this book is that the cover is shaped just like a house, and the book's opening is right down the middle. It feels like you are opening up the doors to a real dollhouse. Inside, there are full color illustrations of dolls, dollhouses, and furniture on nearly every page. The details are phenomenal! If you are a collector or builder of dollhouses,this is your book! I really enjoyed looking at the pictures and reading about the privately owned dollhouses and collections that are featured in this book. Some of the more unique houses shown in the book are the Kupjack rooms, the Palace of Versailles, and the Shoe House. Those of you who attend miniature shows or are a member of NAME will recognize the names Brooke Tucker, Ned Kellogg, and Marcia Backstrom as miniaturists featured between these pages. This book is a wonderful addition to the collection of minature hobbyists everywhere.



5. The intriguing shape of the book worried me a bit, so often the content doesn't measure up to a cover -- but I was in love from page one...

   I have many books on dollhouses and miniatures, but this is the one I have on display, and it has inspired me to finally get on with putting all those miniatures I have been collecting into order and getting those dollhouse plans finished.

   BRAVO! A must have for the dollhouse collector!