Winter wonderings and wrap up

Hi everyone. Welcome to the Autumn/Winter blog and update.

Thank yous

First of all, I’d like to thank each and every person who popped by to say hi or just to have a look at my stand at the Kensington Dolls House Christmas Festival. Many, many people came by and was wonderful to chat with you all.

The main new item that I took to the show was the room box with working light switches; one switching the wall lights and the picture light and the other switching the chandelier. The response to this was amazing! I heard many ‘Oh wow’s and ‘Nooo waays'. And then seeing the faces when people switched on the lights was incredible.

Those light switches are now available as an option for new builds I make. Unfortunately, I can’t retro fit them to existing dolls houses ... Yet! I am working on that and you’ll know as soon as I find an easy way to do it. I’m sure you’ll all agree, scale working light switches in a dolls house is a big added extra and I won’t say I’m the first person to do it. (I’m sure someone will let me know if anyone else has in the past or does now.)

Orders

Thank you to everyone who has ordered dolls houses/book nooks or room boxes, I will be starting the builds shortly. For those thinking about ordering and especially those who expressed an interest, my order book for 2024 is filling up and is full now till end of March 2024. Any new orders will be started in April but if you wish to get an order in sooner, that’s fine, the sooner the better for me as I can schedule accordingly.

For anyone who didn’t ask but wants to know, the deposit is 20% and non-refundable as it buys material to start your bespoke item. The remainder can be paid in instalments or in full on completion/delivery. I’m happy to arrange whatever works best for you.

The next special build for the shows will be a thatched stone cottage. This will be added to the list of houses I build as standard and, like all my houses, can be built bespoke to your needs. I’m looking forward to trying out thatching a roof. I’ve been watching some online videos on real thatching and hope to replicate those methods but in 1:12th scale. Wish me luck, I suspect I will need it!

Shows

In 2024, I am looking at attending York for both shows, Kensington and Miniatura, though in which order, I’ve not decided yet, I think I may have to be quick!

In development

Amongst everything, I am working on a few things for next year, one being various Christmas lights and I was also asked if I could make flushing toilets… that got me thinking about water systems in a house and how I could do that, watch this (possibly soggy) space! I am also working on a realistic fireplace. Updates as and when on those.

One question for you all, is there anything you’d like to see in a dolls house? If so, drop me an email john@creativedollshouses.co.uk

On that note, from all at Creative Dolls Houses, I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy 2024. I hope to see you all again next year at the shows.

John