Over the past several years, readers have made hundreds (thousands) of tiny cardboard putz houses aka glitter houses aka Christmas villages. Now, Kathryn has taken our putz houses to a whole new level — err, to a whole new size: quarter-inch scale dollhouses. She’s made an entire 1968 neighborhood of midcentury houses, complete with dolls and cars and just about every itsy bit you can imagine. So creative! Lets’ take a look >>
Kathyrn writes:
Pam,
I have been using the patterns for your Putz houses and making them as quarter-inch scale doll houses. So far I have built 9 of them with the idea that I will create a neighborhood beneath one of the trees in my living room this year. They have interiors and lighting.
It all started with my husband suggesting that since I had retired, that it was time to start to build all the plastic kits I had been buying. I was going to have a downtown area with a train that ran around it.
In looking for things to fill the buildings, I discovered a whole online group of ladies who build in quarter scale. I thought that all doll houses were 1″ scale.
Above: This is the house that started it out. I found the plans online and it reminded me of the house that the parents of good friend in college once owned. It was in Lincoln City, Oregon in an area called Road’s End. Spent many a weekend and a summer there. Her parents were wonderful people. We used to joke that if you wanted privacy, better go to the bathroom as it was the only room with a door. It will part of the Christmas display.
When I found your website and blog, I was hooked on the mid century houses. My layout is set in October, 1968.
These are all built out of plastic. I take your (Kate’s) designs and enlarge them to scale and to allow for the scenes.
I have a whole binder with original plans, my adjusted ones and then pictures of the final product.
The furnishings are things I find on eBay, vendors in my online quarter scale doll house group or scratch-built to my designs.
Some things are also from Shapeways.
The scene in this house was from a workshop offered by Desert Minis. I had the mom and daughter already and it just seemed to fit. Mom has a big basket of apples and she is trying to make pies.
Daughter has all her books and paper dolls spread all over the living room but wants mom to stop and read her a story.
I love to research the houses and add little touches from homes I see locally.
The gable ends on the cape cod are from some homes close by.
The rick rack house has glass windows. That took some thought on how to pull it off. The flower planters along the carport are from a house I pass.
The free standing fireplace in the rick rack house and the beach house was made from bits and pieces of leftovers from my husband’s model train layout. No one makes one, and I really wanted one.
The ribbon icicle box was from a set of reproduction box tops by Tim Holtz. Recognize the house designs? They are about 1/4″ – 1/2: tall and wide. Made those last year.
Also from last year, remember the retro TV that WalMart offered in their Christmas decorations? They have it again this year. Great buy at $9.97. I removed everything but the lights and made a retro Christmas scene to go inside. Same scale as my houses.
This month, I am working on the outdoor Christmas displays for the neighborhood and midcentury mailboxes. The whole neighborhood is really going to get into their decorations.
Thanks for all the inspiration and ideas. Love it.
Kathryn
Oh my word: Email, I tell Kathryn this is all so amazing! She is SO creative. She responds very graciously, and explains, encouragingly:
Thanks for the compliments. I have only been building this stuff for the last couple of years. We won’t talk about my first experiences trying to build a building for DH’s train layout over 30 years ago. It was mostly glue and a little cardboard. DH had to rescue it. Mostly made quilts before but we can only use so many quilts.
Thank you, Kathryn, for sharing all these photos, and your ideas — putz houses bigger — and itsy bitsy in the diorama, too! This makes me so happy and I’m sure it will make Katiedoodle happy too! Send me photos when the Christmas lights are up!!!
libbyontheprairie says
This is the coolest project ever! I am overwhelmed with how meticulously detailed these are- wow! Thank you for sharing your amazing talents with us!
Allison says
I now find myself craving something I never knew existed… a lighted mid modern Christmas living room diorama framed by a retro TV box.
Exactly what I need; another project! Maybe for Christmas 2019…
Seriously, these are so fabulous I can hardly stand it. Little tiny mid mod micro miracles!
Pam Kueber says
“Little tiny mid mod micro miracles!”: Indeed!
Debbie in Portland says
Wow—so much attention to detail! These are just amazing, and I can’t wait to see what Kathryn does with them for Christmas!
Next time I go to Lincoln City, I am going to drive through the Road’s End neighborhood and see if I can find the real house “that started it all”. One of the antique shops in Lincoln City still sells dollhouse furniture and accessories, and now I’m inspired.
Nonna says
All hail Kathryn!
Seriously…drooling right now. LOVE me some mid mod minis!
Katherine says
Sitting here with my mouth open. That’s amazing!!! I’d never have the patience to do something like that.
I’d really like to know where you got the Mom and daughter, and whether or not you panted them yourself. I’m looking for some of them in particular poses for a website I’m trying to develop.
Kathryn Asbahr says
Mom is made by Scenic Express and her name is Edith. She can be found on their web site. The daughter is something from my collection of old O scale figures. Not sure if she was made by Plasticville, Life Like or something like that. Scenic Express has a great selection of figures. They both came painted, but I have repainted many figures so that there are few repeats.
Tom says
Incredible!!!
Karin says
Wow, what a talented artist. I especially love the midcentury cone fireplace. It looks like she put a light in it.
Robin, WA says
These are amazing and made me smile!! But I need more details. Where does Kathryn get the materials? I’d love to try this myself.
Pam Kueber says
Note, she does list where she gets materials in the story.
Pam Kueber says
Although, she does not specifically identify the online group she belongs to… perhaps she will see this question and be able to share!
Kathryn Asbahr says
More information about our group and a list of vendors can be found at QuarterConnection.com. There is a link to our quarter scale group there. I work with line drawings and sheet plastic. I like to scratch build so that things are unique. Even much of my furniture is that way like the round sofa in the rick rack house. My husband is a HO scale model railroader and we have lots of supplies and parts available at all times. Leftovers are always saved. You never know when that part just might work.
Stacia says
Whoa! That’s some amazing craft! Where do you get the plastic pieces to build the houses? Can they be custom ordered or something? If so I would think you could have a business selling your own kits!
Jay says
The craftsmanship is so precise and the attention to details is amazing. Wonderful that you have such a creative hobby. Looking forward to seei9ng the neighborhood decked out for Christmas. Thanks for sharing.