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Accessory Kits - How to Order - Where to Buy
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My name is Elizabeth Neilly, and as the new owner of The Daisy House I am happy to share some of my background and passion for the wonderful world of dollhouses and miniatures! Dollhouses and miniatures have been a fascination for as long as I can remember. At a young age, my mother handed down her set of walnut Strombecker furniture that she played with in her own dollhouse as a child. Also, after my first glimpse (at around age 7, on tiptoe!) of the fascinating Thorne Rooms at The Art Institute of Chicago, I was thoroughly hooked! As a young child I had a large, modern, plain and practical, Creative Playthings dollhouse with four open sides and lots of room for imagination! And, I remember being mesmerized by the fully furnished and electrified Lundby dollhouse on display in the toy department of the local department store.  At about age 10, I fell in love with a simulated red brick Victorian (right) that I yearned to have but that the high price tag (at the time of my small weekly allowance) would not allow. But I continued to collect miniatures – the more realistic the better (that’s the Thorne Rooms’ influence!). I also attended shows such as the Three Blind Mice shows - often being one of the youngest miniaturists studying and pouring over the displays.  Then at age 14, I finally got my first “serious” dollhouse – fully finished (though I did re-paper a couple of the rooms) with a “brick” foundation, yellow clapboard siding, black shutters, shingled roof and a full front porch (pictured right, unfurnished).  Over the years I have continued to collect miniatures, construct various furniture kits and complete miniature needlework projects. Gingerbread has even been a miniature outlet including this Woodsman's Cabin ready for the holidays (left). Now, I'm thrilled to be at the helm of The Daisy House and to be able to share your passion and fascination with the world of all-things-small! Click on the photos above for larger images. ABOUT THE DAISY HOUSE - The Daisy House has been designing and manufacturing a quality line of fine miniature furniture and accessory kits since 1999. Our 1/12th and 1/24th scale kits are well represented in dollhouse and miniature shops across North America and England. If you have any problems finding Daisy House kits in your area, please see the Retail Customers page or Contact us for more information about where to buy Daisy House kits. DAISY HOUSE DESIGNS - There are nearly 30 designs in our catalogue. Since they are not of a specific style or time period they fit nicely into many different dollhouse or room settings. All of the kits consist of uniformly high quality components. New kits will be developed and added to the line over the next few months. In the meantime, we are always on the lookout for new ideas, so if you have an idea please Contact us. HOW IT HAPPENS - Once an idea for a kit is decided upon, the initial design is scaled down. This is when the size, shape and proportions are defined. When the “look” of the piece is right, a number of prototypes are built so the design can be refined and perfected. When the piece is just right for a miniature setting, the final design is drawn up and plans are made for the manufacturing process. DAISY HOUSE INSTRUCTIONS - The arduous process of writing and rewriting the instructions then begins. There is testing and retesting of the instructions by using them to build the kit in development until they are accurate and easy-to-follow. There is no thought given to short cutting this process because of the numerous compliments received on the accuracy and clarity of the instructions! THE DAISY HOUSE OBJECTIVE - I believe, (like Heather Murray before me and Daisy House founders, Nick and Judi Hughes), that the hobby of miniatures should be fun and rewarding. With that in mind, Daisy House kits are produced so they can be successfully built in an evening or a weekend and can be finished in any number of ways – just let your imagination take over! We often hear from customers who have completed a Daisy House kit and have gone back to the shop for another because "it worked" and because they had so much fun.
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