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Well built and tastefully appointed hand made doll houses often sell for $400 or more, especially if they are to scale, realistic looking, well-decorated and nicely furnished.

Materials used to build and furnish high quality doll houses are not necessarily expensive. The real expenses is in the apparent hours of labor and high degree expertise required for their construction.

However, many "expert" doll house craftsmen have no more training or background than a normal wood-workers or wood hobbyists.

If you have ever built a model airplane or car, you can probably produce doll houses that will command a good prices. All it takes is a little attention to detail, practice and a few tricks of the trade.

Basically, building doll houses involves selecting and cutting out (according to plans) 1/8" to 1/4" paneling for walls, a little stronger plywood for the bottom floor, and thin panelling with a simulated overlay for the roof.

Cut out the required windows, doors and spaces for stairways. For efficiency, you will probably cut out several parts from the same basic plan at a time.

Check these parts often to make sure they fit properly. Most walls and floors should be decorated before they are permanently installed or you may not be able to get them to apply the desired coatings or linings.

Although you will develop your own procedures, it’s wise to follow the plan instructions explicitly for the first few models. Remember that although you can substitute materials freely, some substitutions may require different applications from the plans, so be careful!

If you want to try one without a plan (a commercial plan is recommended, at least for the first effort), you’ll need a sheet of plywood (or plain 3/8" paneling), some ice cream sticks or tongue depressors, glue, nails (brads), a few pins and screw eyes, a coping or jig saw, plus other normal shop tools.

Get wallpaper and linoleum (or contact shelf paper ) remnants from the hardware store and fabric scraps from an upholstery shop or yard goods store.

Much of the fun building doll houses is the ingenious and often, unique methods craftsmen come up with to create really amazing effects for doors, windows, roofs, outside and inside decor.

Your total material cost could be as low as $200 including furniture. Of course, the cost can be much higher with veneer walls, silk rugs and fancy furnishings.

Doll house patterns are available from many sources – your public library probably has several books on the subject; discount book sellers offer a wide selection of books, plans and suggestions.

Decorations and furnishings can also be obtained from a variety of sources (several are listed under BUSINESS SOURCES).

Subscribe to one or more trade magazines to learn and stay abreast of additional sources for materials, building and marketing techniques.

The first "trick" is to build your doll houses to the scale of the furniture that you intend to use! This is much easier (and smarter) than building one haphazardly or to a standard for which the furniture is hard to get or even unavailable.

This would mean trying to cut little pieces of furniture down or enlarge them to fit a non-standard scale doll house.

Unless you are equipped to build doll house furniture from scratch to the described scale, stay with the standard scales!

To find the scale of the furniture, measure the height of a table and compare that a similar table in your own home.

If the doll house table is 2-1/2" tall and it equates to yours that is 30 inches (2-1/2 feet), that’s a one inch to one foot (or twelve to one) scale. An inch or difference ON YOUR TABLE is not bad.

The same procedure works on your house scale. If your doorway opening is 32 by 80 inches ( 2-2/3 by 6-1/2 feet), then the same size opening in the doll house would be 2-2/3 by 6-1/2 inches. The one foot equals one inch is a widely accepted scale. You can use any scale you want, however, even metric.

A good tip for furniture is to buy imported doll house furniture cheap and refinish it even though it’s new (SMC has a nice selection of inexpensive "imported furniture" see BUSINESS SOURCES). Buy a $1.30 chair, and sand and give it a coat of good polyurethane to make it into a $6.95 (retail) chair instead of the suggested retail of $3.95.

Much imported doll house furniture is mass produced by children or untrained workers.

It is poorly sanded and lightly coated with varnish or other inexpensive finish (even shoe polish!).

Their materials and tools are often poor quality and the finishes usually look and feel rough.

Their wood, however, is usually excellent (good wood is cheap overseas.

With some fine sandpaper and steel wool, smooth the finish until looks and feels hand crafted. If the stain and finish is really bad, remove it with BIX (at your hardware store), re-stain and refinish it.

This process needn’t take long, especially if you do several at once.

1. Give your wooden furniture one or more coats of quality vanish, polyurethane or liquid resin. Spray is fine a dust free area (some overseas furniture markers spray out in the open with cars going by).

2. Check the upholstery for fit and quality. Replace if it doesn’t look nice or go with your "decor" or treat it. Trim loose threads and glue any loose corners. A few moments with piece of doll house furniture can triple it’s value. It can also make the difference between a $40 and a $400 doll house

3. Market your doll houses wholesale through craft shops (usually on consignment), toy or department stores, and/or do your own advertising and sell from your "factory."

4. If you retail, two things will help immensely: a catalog and a nice display. Take good (professional quality) color pictures of each of your creations from several angles.

5. Use professional backgrounds and lighting to present them in their best possible light.

6. If you can’t afford to have a catalog printed, make up a scrapbook of your work to show both the quality and the variety that you produce.

7. Add comments and prices to make it into your catalog. List various options and prices for each. For example, modifying the layout, adding a room or porch, changing the type of roof.

8. Next, make arrangements to display your doll houses. This can be a corner of a room in your house or shop or rented display window (check with real estate agents for windows in unoccupied stores). Pictures and advertisements are nice, but you just can’t beat the real thing

9. The closer your doll house display is to where little girls can see them, the better!

You can sometimes arrange with local businesses to feature a display (the bank, bowling alley) for a week at a time.

As a local craftsman of note, these businesses will often co-operate, especially if you’re good. You get exposure; they have an added attraction for their customers at no cost.

Unless you live in a big city it would probably not pay to advertise continually in newspaper except around Christmas.

Of course, if you could get the names and addresses of parents with little girls in the 3 to 10 age brackets, you could mail out brochures with pictures to their parents.

One way to obtain such a list is to offer a doll house as a prize. Contestants fill out coupons with their name and address to enter (which becomes your mailing list). Take part in community affairs to meet potential buyers.

Operate a booth at the county fair, give out free balloons at the parade and come up with doll house variations that the local paper will cover (perhaps a model of a prominent local house).

Be sure to have several completed models on hand or at least ready to finish in time for Christmas. This should be your best season. Don’t overlook the possibility of building (or finishing) custom doll houses.

For example, a shape something like the family home, painted and decorated to match (these would start at $400!). With 4 or 5 different basic patterns, you could make minor adjustments to come up with quite a few totally different models.

One of your secrets is that you keep all patterns, jigs, molds and simply change outer materials to get different effects.

For example, all of your roofs will be similar, but some can be finished in painted sandpaper or cut out thin panel wood for asphalt shingles and tile.

You can probably imprint some wood paneling with brick design, spray it a light color, then roll it with reddish brown to look like brick. Similar designs inscribed on light wood would look like patio and walkway tile.

There is simply no end to interesting effects that can be realized from your imagination and a little experimenting.

The best advice from this point is to remember that the more patience and care you take in building each doll house, the more enjoyment some little girl will receive.

If this is your motivation, you will undoubtedly be a successful doll house and doll furniture builder.

Even so, keep accurate records and always try to work out procedures to enable you to produce sections of the doll houses assembly line fashion. This helps avoid mistakes, speeds construction and increase your profits.

BUSINESS SOURCES :

SPECIALTY MERCHANDISE CO., 9401 De Soto Ave., Chatsworth, CA 91311, 818-998-2712. Nice selection of imported, inexpensive doll furniture, 1" : 1" scale, plus other imported merchandise. Membership required (costs about $500, but can be paid in installments).

COLLECTOR COMMUNICATIONS CORP., 170 5th Ave., New York, NY 10010, 212/989-8700. Publishes DOLLS, bi-monthly magazine for doll collectors, plus MINIATURE COLLECTOR, magazine about furnishings and decor for doll houses.

JACQUELINE’S, Box 23464, Oakland, CA 94263-0464. Doll house plans and furnishings. 70 page color catalog – $2.

DOLL HOUSE FACTORY OUTLET, 325 Division St., Boonton, NJ 07005, 201/335-5501. Doll houses, kits and accessories.

INTERNATIONAL DOLL MAKERS ASSOCIATION, 3364 Pine Creek Dr., San Jose, CA 95132. Association of doll makers and collectors.

HOBBY HOUSE PRESS, INC., 900 Frederick St., Cumberland, MN 21502. Publishes DOLL READER, trade magazine for doll dealers.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN DOLL ARTISTS, 5630 Clarksville Highway, Joelton, IN 37080. Association of doll makers and collectors.

DOVER PUBLICATIONS, 31 East 2nd St., Mineloa, NY 11051. Discount books, stencils, patterns; excellent source for ideas and decor accessories. Recommend this one highly!

QUILL CORPORATION, 100 Schelter Rd., Lincolnshire, IL 60917-4700, 312/634-4800. Office supplies.

NEBS, 100 Main St.,Groton, MA 04171, 800/225-6380. Office supplies.

IVEY PRINTING, Box 761, Meridan, TX 76665. Low-cost printing.. Write for price list.

ZPS, Box 581, Libertyville, IL 60048-2556. Business cards (raise print – $11.50 per K) and letterhead stationery. Will print your copy ready logo or design, even whole card.

WALTER DRAKE & SONS, INC., 4119 Drake Bldg., Colorado Springs, CO 80940. Short run business cards, stationery, etc. Good quality but little choice of style or color. Can be difficult to deal with (they are a "short-order" mail order house).

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Potions, Teas, Vitamins, Drinks, Massages And Herbal Baths Helpful In Inducing A Good Night’s Sleep

1. A herbal bath can soothe your nerves andrelieve insomnia. Boil 2 ounces of Balm leaves in water for a few minutes, then let steep for 20 minutes. Strain and add to your bath water. Your bath water should be warm, but not hot, as the latter could stimulate rather than soothe.

2. Make a tea out of one or several of the following herbs: Catnip, Cowslip, German Chamomile, Hops, Passion flower,Valerian, Balm, Linden and Melissa. Drink several times a day if possible.

3. Inositol, one of the B vitamins, as well as pantothenic acid, both help induce sleep. Try one or even both together. Inositol: 1 to 3 grams an hour before bedtime. Pantothenic Acid: 1/2 to 2 grams an hour before bedtime.

4. Tryptophan is a natural amino acid which induces sleep. Combined with calcium it can be even more effective.

Try the following program :

(a) 3 trypthophan tablets half an hour before bedtime.
(b) 1 chelated calcium and magnesium tablet 3 times a day and 3 tablets half an hour before bedtime.

5. Turkey is an excellent source of tryptophan and milk of calcium; therefore, a turkey sandwich with a cup of warm milk at bedtime might cure your sleeplessness. A cheese sandwich would also help, as cheese (as well as milk) contains both tryptophan and calcium.

6. Make an effective sleeping potion :

   (a) Combine 1 tbsp. tincture of Valerian (from a pharmacy), 1-1/2 tsp. of apple cider vinegar, 3 tbsp. of honey and 2 tbsp. of gin or vodka in a cup. Stir.

   (b) Add 2 tbsp. or more of hot milk and stir again. Drink this mixture warm or hot half an hour before bedtime.

   If you are not asleep within an hour, repeat the dose. Do not drink more than 2 doses in an evening.

7. Massage the soles of your feet with mustard oil at bedtime.

1. There are four important elements in a “Direct Mail Package” and close attention must be paid to each: (Before anything, of course, comes the essential “idea” since the conceptual strategy is still key.)

a) the graphics (carrier) which must be opened by reader – i.e, “what does it look like?”
b) the offer: the way the proposition is phrased – i.e “what’s the deal?”
c) the copy: the compelling description that gets the reader to buy or act – i.e. “how is it said?”
d) the list: the targeted audience most likely willing to buy or act – i.e. “who is it sent to?”

2. Perhaps the most important element is the list since an excellent offer, with a striking carrier and compelling copy – if mailed to wrong list – can be a disaster.

   Others believe copy is most important, but don’t let ranking bother you since each element is important.

   Take all reasonable steps to get, use and keep the most accurate and up=to-=date lists possible to increase your margin of success. Set up a system to add names and keep’em current.

3. Heed “Daly’s Law” – “Everything takes longer and costs more!" So. it’s wise to start project in ample time to make all elements come together in easy manner.

   Use “reverse timetable” to plot what needs to be done and when. For instance, you probably need to order lists first.

   Then, don’t forget the envelopes, printed stock, other enclosures , etc. Allow time for delivery and return action plus follow-up mailings.

4. Direct Mail is a demanding taskmaster, so if it fails it’s probably you who missed somewhere, not the medium.

   If possible, “test” some or all portions of your program so you can alter methods if needed.

5. Writing compelling Direct Mail copy only seems simple so don’t be deceived.

   Heed basic principles of writing to single person in simple, straight forward manner – yet with style. For success, remember the 3 “S’s” of successful copy are: (1)Simplicity, (2) Sincerity, (3) Serenity.

   Long copy is not necessarily bad, in fact it can out pull short copy. Focus on main message you intend to convey. Never forget you want action to occur…NOW.

   Be sure copy answers the always-asked questions: “What’s in it for me?” Always keep reader’s perceived needs in mind. Do the necessary research to determine them.

6. Closely analyze your potential markets and your offer so you can hone lists and copy to target your approach.

   Though you mail by the thousands, remember Direct Mail is more akin to a rifle than a shotgun. Write your copy to be read by one person at a time.

7. Remember Direct Mail is a substitute sales representative.

   Where an in-person sales representative can immediately answer prospects’ questions and overcome objections when raised, Direct mail copy must anticipate all aspects and insure logical points are covered.

8. Incorporate an action device – coupon, order form, reply card or envelope, phone number – to make it easy for recipient to take desired action.

   Repeatedly tell recipient what action you want and make it simple to do. Put nothing in the way of getting an order or response. Use all action devices cited.

9. A letter almost always works better in a Direct Mail packagethan a package – even a catalog – without a letter.

   Don’t worry if the letter repeats what’s in the catalog, brochure or order form. It’s there for a different purpose. The sales letter is a one-to-one communications to explain and sell, to get the recipient to act. The postscript is often the most-read part of the letter.

10. If all elements of package are good, it is imperative repeat mailings be made. It’s difficult to wear out a good list and, unless mailings are overdone, you can’t wear out your welcome.

    Let statistical probabilities and the laws of economics work in your favor rather than allow difference about making frequent mailings deter you. A common error is not to mail often enough or to a wider list.

11. Keep detailed records of everything you do.. Follow a “systems approach” so you know what happened, when and why.

    That way you can repeat successes and avoid failures. Sometimes the difference of a tenth of a percent or less is all it takes to tune a marginal performer into a winner.

12. Study all elements of your package so you can know what’s working. Is it the price? The geography? The timing? The phrasing of the offer? The list? The copy? The product?

    Which of those myriad elements, in combination or without one element, makes the critical difference in the return? Analyze your records closely and continually until you know why you’re winning and can repeat success.

13. Keep current with changing postal rules, rates, regulations and procedures.

    Regularly monitor your procedures to insure you’re in full compliance. To illustrate expensive errors, a frantic client called after the Postal Inspector visited.

    We can help with postal problems.. Had he checked with us before the visit, the $5000 per word differential postal cost and worry most likely could have been avoided.

    We offer professional authoritative postal expertise but seldom can avert unchecked mistakes. Check in advance. (We can supply you with a checklist of valuable postal publications upon receipt of addressed, double stamped #10 envelope.)

14. Save, subdivide and study the good Direct Mail you get to learn what to do – and maybe what not to do. Remember some of the things that appeal may, in fact, be “tests” that, when results are known, are failures. Never underestimate need for simplicity and complete honesty.

15. People who take actions by mail are different from those who don’t. Thus it is wise to isolate them so you can easily remail with new or different offers. Remember the axiom: “People who buy by mail”…buy by mail…buy by mail…” Best lists are of mail buyers of similar products or services who recently purchased in same price range.

16. Do what’s necessary to make your mail stand out, even “look peculiar” since it has to fight all types of competition. If it doesn’t get opened, looked at, and read…there’s no chance it will bring the action you want. Clever “teaser copy” on outside of carrier can work wonders.

17. Wise mail merchants work at differentiating between “suspects,” “prospects” and (best of all) “customers.” Once they can distinguish names on lists among those three categories they are able to achieve cost efficiencies that novices can only dream about. So keep good records of what happens and when it happens with mailings to a particular list with a particular offer. Capitalize on success.

18. Testimonials can be effective promotional tools, especially if they’re heartfelt and cogently express what the average user might feel about a product or service.. They’re even better when offered by celebrities or persons well-known to the audience. Treat testimonials like the jewels they are and gather more.

19. There’s no such thing as a “normal” percentage of return that’s universally applicable across a wide range of products and services but, over time and by keeping careful records you can determine what some norms are for your offer (s). Goal then is to “beat your best”…if only by 1/2 or 1/4 of a percent!

20. In producing Direct Mail programs these seven words may be cliche – but only because it’s true: “Nothing is as simple as it seems.”

    Continual care needs to be exercises at every step of the planning and conceptual stage, though any step in the conception-production process can become critical if close attention isn’t paid to what’s happening. “To error is human.”

    Yes. I’m aware of the error but that’s exact spelling of sign I spotted in printer’s window and I reproduce it to emphasize how vital it is that extreme care be given to this facet of production. Proofreading in a professional manner is essential.

21. Direct Mail Copywriter John Yeck long ago cautioned me to be aware of these two “sinful” acronyms: KISS and CIPU.

    The first, “Keep It Simple, Sweetie” describes how to tell your message, while the second cautions us to avoid lapsing into business or industrial jargon which “we” understand but most everyone else doesn’t. CIPU stands for “Clear If Previously Understood.”

22. While the Power of Mail will long be with us (even though the nature of the Postal Service might change) wise direct mailers see themselves practicing in the fields of “direct Marketing” or “Direct Response.”

    They become knowledgeable of the synergistic value from use of print media (magazines, space ads, newspaper inserts, etc) as well as electronic media (radio and/ or TV) to supplement their mail promotional efforts. The combination can be powerful.

23. Continually study and be alert to what’s happening in this dynamic medium.

    It may seem that not much is new, when in fact, there are subtle but important shifts in many of the areas delineated in each of the four elements cited in Principle #1. (Our seminars, workshops and speeches point these out to
    sponsor’s audiences.)

Turn Your Personal Computer Into A Money-Making Machine by Storing ; Printed Reports On Disk

1. AMAZING FACTS ABOUT THE MAIL ORDER AND INFORMATION BUSINESS

Fact 1: Mail art : or business is the most ideal business to operate from home. Thousands make lucrative incomes and enjoy operating from the comfort of homes, setting their own business completely out of the "rat race".

These people will never work for a boss again. The postman brings them fat profits every day – often more than they earned in a month working for others.

A US. Government report states that many one person mail order businesses are making profits up to $50,000 per year. The more successful mail order dealers have become Millionaires!

Fact 2: The world’s easiest mail order business is Selling INFORMATION BY MAIL. Hundreds of thousands of men and women are making money in this wonderful, fantastic work.

When I say information I mean VALUABLE INFORMATION, with intrinsic value-. It could be an idea, a secret a name, an address, but something, of value it at people are willing to pay for it. What could be more profitable than selling paper and ink whereby you print information for pennies… and sell them for dollars?

Fact 3: "Information by Mail" is a billion dollar a year Mail Order Business with a market of over FORTY MILLION CUSTOMERS, and it is growing faster every year. We are now in an information AGE where there is an explosive demand for valuable information in all sectors of today’s society.

With such statistics, it’s easy to see why more and more people are entering today’s most exciting; and more profitable business. Many individuals just like yourself are making more money in only a week in the Self-PUBLISHING BUSINESS than they can make in a month working for someone else.

2. NOW IT’S YOUR TURN TO START YOUR OWN SELF-Publishing BUSINESS!

There are two ways you can be a SELF-PUBLISHER; the hard way … or the easy way.

1. You can write your own self-published materials.
   You do your own research, find out what topics people will buy and the right price they are willing to pay, develop and advertise your offer or report, test the market, etc. etc.

   Although this may be a more rewarding experience (especially if you love to write and want to be an author), I don’t advise it. As a beginner, I mean. Once you become an expert in this business, you can write your own materials, make more money and have a lot of fun. But meanwhile …

2. You can BUY your own self~published materials by acquiring the best-selling reports and manuals that are available in the market today, including the right to resell and reprint. That’s right. You save the hassle of writing your own reports. You simply pay the full retail price, which will include the right to reprint the items you bought!

Now listen. I am not talking about the sub-standard material in the market. Be careful when you acquire an article or report for resale; You don’t want to purchase incorrect or incomplete information, reports of poor reproduction quality,or information that simply has no apparent value.

To be successful, you must buy for distribution, the kind of quality material that will satisfy your customers and make them want to order from you again. One source of reports with reprint rights is: Infopreneur Box 20412 El Cajon CA 92021. The company offers a free catalog.

Once you acquire reproduction rights you can reproduce materials as you receive orders. A report of several pages in length can be reproduced for 20 to 30 cents and sold for several dollars. This generally provides a profit of 1000% an higher

When you purchase the reproduction rights you acquire the right to reproduce the copyrighted materials, which also includes the right to resell the reprint rights.

Meanwhile, let’s say you have acquired the reproduction rights for top notch reports

3. KEY ALL INFORMATION IN YOUR HOME COMPUTER

The most important thing that you can do as a Self-Publisher is to convert your printed information into computer-readable moneymaking information!

This simple act will give you the leading edge in this business. By combining technology with the information self-publishing concept, you gain tremendous possibilities for success.

1. You keep your information current, accurate and easy to update. You can change, improve and add information as you gain more experience. You can include your own personal identity and unique information regarding your offer or business.

2. You maintain high quality printed information by using the latest technology in printing hardware and software. You have more convenient storage, faster access and better manageability in maintaining your information.

3. When printing costs become prohibitive, say in producing a 100-page report, you can sell your information on disk. This automatically eliminates printing costs and reduces mailing costs substantially.

4. Since your information is stored in your computer, you can then transmit via modem, bulletin Board, electronic mail, fax, or any means of telecommunications. Shape of things to come? Nope. This is happening today. This is now a common mode in the business of transmitting (and selling) information.

5. Finally, with the above hi-tech facilities, you will be operating just like a big corporate publishing firm and will be perceived as one. You improve your credibility as an entrepreneur. There are now thousands of small one-person businesses operating from home, just like the big ones.

4. THE TIME FOR MONEY-MAKING ACTION!

Here is a summary of the important benefits of operating your own Self-Publishing Mail Order business:

No. inventory to carry and easy to reproduce

Extremely high mark up

Easy and inexpensive to ship via First Class or UPS

Ideal as a primary offer or as follow up offer to existing buyers

Very Large market demand

By the way, you don’t have to own a computer to operate your own self-publishing business. The purpose of this Guide is simply to show how much more of advantage you will have if you use a computer as a tool in making yourself-publishing business more efficient and successful. Be a self-publisher first, then computerize your information later.

5. YOU MAY NEVER HAVE THIS CHANCE AGAIN . . . ACT NOW!

Think about the future. Whether you work part time or full time, you’ll be able to operate this proven, wealth building business from your home, and you’ll have fun making money. You wont need any employees, and you. You won’t have to share your profits with anyone.

6. NOW IS YOUR MOMENT TO ACT!!!

You have much to gain and nothing to lose.

7. THERE WILL NEVER BE A BETTER Time! THAN NOW!