Rebecca has loved dollhouses for as long as she can remember. She played with her Fisher Price Little People House but she wanted more. She was always envious of her friend because she had a metal dollhouse that Rebecca really wanted. Rebecca used to do what I think many of us did as young children. You want a dollhouse. You do not get a dollhouse. You improvise! She used to make houses for herself anytime anyone in the family got new shoes. She stacked the shoe boxes up and would cut pictures out of magazines to decorate. Many times when she was a single mother she came very close to buying a house kit. She would even have the house and supplies in her cart but would decide against it in the end because she did not feel it was prudent to spend the money. After she and Roger married, Rebecca spotted a Dura-Craft Victorian (VH-600) on Ebay. After discussing it with Roger, she bid on it and won for a grand total of $70. Good Score Rebecca! The house was in good shape with no missing parts. Her youngest child was seven months old when she started it. It took two years and a snowbound inducing snow storm to get it completed.

Rebecca`s father was a carpenter and she feels that those genetics rubbed off on her. She loves to build. That does not mean she does not enjoy all the aspects of working on a dollhouse. She loves so many different types of decor in decorating. It is a great way to express all the different looks that appeal to her. She is definitely a collector also. Rebecca has never seen a dollhouse she didn't like. She basically loves all aspects of the build. When it starts to look like a house, she is off and running. She, like many of us, hates trim work. Getting the angles just right was a hassle until Roger bought her a tool that has helped her tremendously.  When she started her first house, she was very intimidated. It was so big and there were so many little pieces. But she was determined to do it and is happy to say that she finished it with hardly any help at all.

Rebecca has a dream deferred. She was planning on going to Chicago this April 2009 for the miniature convention. Plans have changed and she cannot fulfill that dream this year. She would love to go and be able to meet the people behind the posts on the Greenleaf forum. Her plans for this coming year are to build as many kits as she can. She already has the colors and ideas planned. She is the model of dollhouse efficiency. Rebecca has a bulletin board covered with paint swatches for each house and pieces of furniture of most of them. She buys things as she finds them.  She feels that if she doesn't then she may never see that piece again in the future.

 

Rebecca`s favorite project is her Quilt Shop that she made for her Mother In Law. She used the Real Good Toys front opening shop for it. She was really proud of it because it was the first time she had made everything that is in the shop herself. Rebecca was nervous at the reaction that she was going to get or if her MIL would like it. Rebecca gave it to her on her 50th anniversary and the entire large family was there. Her MIL sat it in her livingroom so it could be seen by everyone. Rebecca received a card from her saying that during her towns quilt fair, which is a town event, they displayed the Quilt Shop in the window of the dollhouse store on Main Street. Rebecca was very excited to hear that! 

Out of all of her houses, Rebecca is partial to her first build. It has a special place in her heart because she did it on her own without any knowledge of what she was doing. She built it before she found the Greenleaf forum. She did the electricals without any help or guidance. She literally put her blood, sweat, and tears into it.  The one thing she would love to master is the art of Paper Clay. She tried it once and it did not turn out well. Rebecca refuses to give up. She will keep trying until she gets it right or goes insane. Whichever comes first!

I asked Rebecca to give some advice to miniaturists that are just starting out on their journey. She said that you should not be afraid to ask questions. How else are you going to learn? Always try new things. You never know what you can accomplish and you may stumble onto a brilliant new technique that we all can benefit from.

You can view some of Rebecca`s creations here in her Gallery.

or participating in this article, Rebecca will receive a $25 gift certificate to the Greenleaf Store.