Nan is also a newbie

Post by **Nan** » Sat Nov 19, 2011 3:04 pm

Hi. I'm also a new forum member, and very pleased to have found the site. I have seven Christmas houses from the late 1930s that belonged to my husband's family. They are in remarkably good condition--a few broken windows and doors and one roof is missing one of its 4 pieces, but that will be pretty easy to fix. The houses seem very simple compared to some I've seen on the various web sites, but I'm charmed by their simplicity. They are very reminiscent of those my family had when I was a child, which are long gone. I've gotten windows/doors from Ted and have ordered some "coconut" from Paul, and find everyone here to be wonderful resources. I've also started building two new houses, with the help of the building board Howard described here. And I've found the individual LED lights that were mentioned by several people. So I'm having a great time. When I get a network access problem solved on my computer I will send you a "before" picture.
Personally, I am a retired psychologist (research type, not really clinical) who has worked in the university and health-care research fields for many years. I'm on crutches because of some enduring health problems, and have turned my study at home into a cardboard-house-construction site. My husband is helpful and supportive but also perplexed at my interest, and is not particularly interested in cardboard houses himself.

Post by **maria** » Sat Nov 19, 2011 3:47 pm

Hi Maria here. My interest in these houses comes from Italian grandmother memories and when I stumbled upon Ted's site, the flood of memories concerning those houses was quite powerful. Ever since then, I am an avid collector. Though I have some old pieces, I have largely collected the new ones being created by Karl Fey of dimestoredwellings.com and Howard Lamey of littleglitterhouses.com

I also have two from a woman who used to have a website called THE SALTBOX COLLECTION. Her houses are simpler but are always accompanied by a charming little clay figure she also creates. She now sells on Ebay under the Saltbox Collection.

I have made a few myself and find it a most enjoyable past-time--creating my own world I jokingly refer to as MARIAVILLE. Where there's always snow on the ground....

My villages have become quite elaborate affairs and take a lot of time to set up. But I wouldn't have it any other way. Here's last year's.

p.s. my guy was initially quite perplexed by my fascination with these houses (he prefers Department 56, curses, but has to admit after all these years, that he too has become a devotee).

Post by **Shanniebaby** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 3:24 pm

Mariaville is gorgeous. But I'm so impressed with your bubble light candoliers!!! You have two of them?! Are they originals? I've been watching some of them on eBay, and I think they're one of the best Christmas decorations ever invented.

Post by **Nan** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 7:34 pm

I agree that Mariaville is top notch. I'm working like mad to get my seven teensy old houses cleaned up and "restored" so I can put them up in a week or so. One of the houses has a 4-part roof, and one part is missing. I can duplicate it with no trouble, but coming up with matching paint is going to be areal challenge. I'm not up to getting home depot to create a gallon of light orange when I just need two square inches painted. I may have to get as close a match as I can, modifying it as possible, and repaint the whole thing.
Thanks for responding to my post.
P.S. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

Post by **paulrace** » Wed Nov 30, 2011 5:45 pm

Let us know when you get your village rehabilitated.

Post by **maria** » Thu Dec 01, 2011 12:20 am

Hi--regarding the candoliers: one is a reproduction from Radko--the other,also a repro, I got from collectionsetc.
http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/20 ... us_03.html