This is my first time adding electricity to a mini-house. I love the look of real lights in a house and the allure of a glowing fireplace. With the advent of LED it has been possible to create lights and fixtures even as small as 1:24 scale. My mind is alight with possibilities and I think of all the tiny things that can be illuminated. How about an oven that lights when you open the door? Or a tiny little fridge…? Or…. And… (breathe. Count to 10.)
Sometimes my mini enthusiasm breaks through, and you’ll just have to put up with that. I know my family does.
Meanwhile, here in giant-land, I am a bit squeamish about actually drilling holes and routering into the walls, floors, or ceilings of my beautiful new dollhouse kit. This is so much better than wire-free fixtures that run on batteries – for mere expense. Right? Maybe if I understood the wiring better… but there is the real trouble, isn’t it? I don’t know anything about wiring anything.
Except that I am old enough to know how to use jumper cables on a car. (Pretty sure, anyway.) And that confidence will carry me through the learning curve ahead as I clutch my “Round Wire Instruction Book” firmly in hand. The diagrams make it look sooooo easy. Wires (three kinds), terminal blocks, and a transformer. Plus this handy volume.
And although I have a proper respect for electricity, we (the kit makers and I) have taken precautions against actual trouble with the wiring and such. (Thank you, Lord for the miracle of breaker switches!) My trepidation lies inside that black plastic case marked ‘Dremmel’ with the routing bits recommended for the task of hiding the wires within the woodwork.
The wood is so pretty, and my skill is limited. I am sad already and I haven’t even messed it up yet. (Ha ha – That’s the spirit!) So I think a little longer about this.
It will be easier if I know where each fixture is to be placed on the wall or ceiling of any room. Since the house is still in dry build, I load it up with furniture in an approximation of the goal. My trusty art marker goes about its business in optimistic “Sunburst Yellow”. May as well wire for everything on the wish-list now, fixtures come later anyway.
Still, it won’t come cheap – which isn’t really the point I suppose. Or is it? Back in the old days (here she goes again) you made your dollhouse. We didn’t have the luxury of laser cut kits in lovely Baltic birch. Back then, building a house was something you did from scrap wood with your dad or granddad (if you were lucky) while lasers remained safely in science fiction.
An artisan piece of furnishing was one you made, inherited, or found in a church rummage sale. Most of us are not so resourceful today. We mini-lovers find these pieces on etsy and ebay, found in estate sales and offered by intrepid, and knowledgeable vendors. I am very grateful.
My mind locks up as I try to imagine alternate, found, or repurposed housings, shades, anything for tiny lamps. I come up with nothing. Maybe it is just not a good day for creating little light fixtures. Will have to check the ‘best days’ calendar on almanac.com and try again later.
Safer to handle one hurdle at a time. Let’s learn round wiring the Cir-kit Concepts way! Right after I pack up the furniture again. Then the walls come down and the real fun begins.
Just a Mini 