Her parents gave Tiffanie her very first dollhouse one Christmas. It was a Tomy dollhouse. Since she was an only child at the time, she would play with it for hours on end.  She would use her imagination to bring the dolls in it to life.  Her only regret is that she had not kept it so that she could have given it to her own daughter. She became interested in the hobby again while she was in college. Unfortunately, she could not afford the expense involved at that time. She vowed that when she was financially able. She would get a kit and work on it. It still wasn't until she was married with a daughter of her own that she got the opportunity, but it was worth the wait.

Tiffanie feels she is much more of a decorator and collector then anything else when it pertains to this hobby. She does not mind building her houses but she loves to decorate. She is detail oriented and believes that it is the little things such as baseboards, crown molding, and etc that really bring houses alive. She also loves all the details in well made furniture and tries to collect as much of it as she can. She loves painting the exterior. Until that point, the house really has no personality. Finding that perfect combination of colors and finally getting to the point of painting the exterior makes it take on a life and uniqueness of its own. Tiffanie hates to wiring. Out of all the aspects of building, she has found that wiring to be the most complicated and tedious process for her. However, because it brings such a touch of magic, realness, and whimsy to the house, she does it anyway.

The first house that Tiffanie ever put together was the Harrison and she was very apprehensive about it. It is also no coincidence that the Harrison is her dollhouse horror story. She was in such a rush to get to the decorating that she did not make sure the walls were aligned properly. It did not turn out to her satisfaction at all. But it was a learning experience and it taught her to slow down and take her time.
Tiffanie`s dollhouse dream would be to one day own a Lawbre dollhouse. Either the French Chateau or the Shadowcliff. Tiffanie would love to learn how to draw her own plans for a dollhouse and then build it from scratch. Maybe one day in the near future she will take on such a challenge. That would truly be a crowning achievement for her.

Tiffanie plans for 2010 are to put the finishing touches on her Beacon Hill, finish wiring and decorating the Queen Anne, and work on the Darlington.  I always ask everyone about their *favorites* in their collections. Tiffanie`s favorite mini is her Kelly Curtis custom made bed. She has developed an obsession with miniature beds and that one represents her style perfectly. It is pink, soft, and feminine. Out of all of Tiffanie`s dollhouses, there are two she would have a hard time parting with. The Queen Anne was the first big dollhouse that she fell in love with. She always dreamed of buying and rehabbing an old Victorian home in real life. When she dreams of such a house, the Queen Anne comes to mind. However, the most rewarding build to date has been the Beacon Hill. It is such a stately house and she is very proud of the work that she has done on hers.

Tiffanie advises budding miniaturists to take their time. Like life, it’s the journey that is most rewarding, not always the destination. She would also advise them to mix less expensive pieces with a few pricier items, otherwise it gets to be a very expensive endeavor.

You can look over Tiffanie`s extensive gallery here.

For participating as Member of the month, Tiffanie will receive a $25 gift certificate to the Greenleaf Store.