Here is what it said in the newspaper about us!

[Amishway Homesteaders]

So I was feeling sad that you alll could not read the story about us and our Dollhouse Display and hobby.

Thenn I thought to ask the guy that wrote it to send me a copy of his proof so I could post it here.......................

and he DID! and here it is:

 

By MIKE HIBBARD

mhibbard@fltimes.com

 

NORTH ROSE If Michael and Lori Newberg were to sell the dollhouses they

display, they would easily rake in hundreds if not thousands of

dollars at each venue.

 

Instead, the Lyons couple goes back home with every one of the houses and

room boxes they set out and they wouldnt have it any other way.

 

This is a hobby. We dont sell them, Michael said Saturday afternoon at

Barbara Jeans Furniture in North Rose, where they set up for a weekend

display of their handiwork.

 

We do this to share our love of the hobby, and our hope is that other

people will get into it and make it their hobby, Lori added.

 

Although the Newbergs detailed creations give the impression they have

been doing this for years, they are relative newcomers to the hobby of

dollhouses and miniatures. Michaels first house was built in October

2010, shortly after he and Lori were in Seneca Falls for a book sale.

 

While waiting for the sale to start, they went downtown to window shop and

ended up at a picture frame store that had a few dollhouses in the window.

 

I tried to block Lori from looking in but she saw them, Michael said.

So we went inside and fell in love with them. The people were very nice

and asked if we were miniaturists, and we said no, but they looked very

interesting. After that, we decided this is what we wanted to do.

 

A short time later, the Newbergs were in a Clifton Springs book store and

saw another dollhouse. On the side was a business card that said it came

from a miniature store in Auburn (Family Room Miniatures), so they went

there to check things out.

 

As a surprise to Lori to celebrate her annual Christmas cookie-making

session with her mother, Michael built an old-fashioned kitchen scene

depicting people making cookies on a wooden table. He then built her a

special dollhouse for Christmas called Loris Books, Bargains & More.

 

That was a special one, because Lori works at the Clyde Public Library

and she loves thrift stores, Michael said. I had so much fun building

them that I asked Lori, What do you want next?

 

A little more than a year later, the Newbergs have 17 houses and room

boxes, many of which were on display at Barbara Jeans. Among them were

boxes titled Old-Fashioned Bathroom, Tea Time After Bible Study, Lloyds

General Store, Camping Weekend, Babys Room in Toy Box, Santa Office and

Breadbox Kitchen.

 

Camping Weekend, which features a Winnebago design, is Michaels favorite.

 

So many people come up and see the Winnebago, which is one of a kind,

Michael said. They end up telling stories about how they went camping and

all the things inside the Winnebago that remind them of that time.

 

An experienced woodworker who also collects miniature trains, Michael a

retired professional clown can put together a room box in several hours

and a dollhouse in just days.

 

For most people, making a room box might take a couple of days, but I

really get into it and work on it for hours straight, he said. Sometimes

Lori will go to work at 1 oclock and Ill have one done for her when she

comes back at 4 oclock. Or after she goes to bed I will work on one, and

it will be ready for her when she wakes up. I like to surprise her.

 

Its just a fun hobby for me and very relaxing, he added.

 

Many times people, not aware that the dollhouses and room boxes arent for

sale, will offer hundreds of dollars for them. That was the case at a

recent dollhouse show in Hammondsport.

 

I had one guy offer me $250 for a room box, and there are people who

would spend $1,000 on a house, Michael said. I could have sold one [room

box] 20 times in Hammondsport, but we just do it because its fun.

 

That may be changing, however. The Newbergs, who call themselves The

Amishway Homesteaders, are considering selling some for one simple reason

they are running out of room to store them at home.

 

Its a hobby now, but people keep saying we should start selling them

because people will buy them, Michael said. Dollhouses were popular for

awhile but started to slacken off, but now people are buying them again.

 

Its all about nostalgia, Lori added. Women can remember having a

dollhouse when they were little girls and want to have them again.

 

Michaels next two projects will be major undertakings he plans to

create small-scale replicas of the houses from two popular TV shows from

the 1970s and early 80s, The Waltons and Little House on the Prairie.

 

I have the blueprint for Little House, so that will be exciting, Michael

said. Those were two TV shows Lori liked to watch as a kid.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So there you go (if you got this far)

the story of how and why we are into Dollhouses and this very fun Hobby.

- by the way I had TOLD him I was thinking of making a Little House on the Prairie Dollhouse BUT now everyone is asking WHEN it will be done SO I guess that will be my next project! LOL

I wanted to make the Plum Creek one but then got to thinking that no kid would know what that was seeing there are very few pictures of that one - so I guess I wil be making the TV "Little House on the Prairie " instead, so they can see the "little House" they know?

 

Thanks for reading our story!

[sassenach]

Love it ! This is all awesome. I love the Waltons and Little House on the Prairie too!

[windmorn]

Love it! Might have to make one with dd after we get the real house finished.

[Daylily]

Really neat! Thanks for sharing the article with us! I would love to see them.