Jake has a surprise for Ruby

Jake asks Ruby to come out in front of Mindolton Manor to see his surprise. She throws her arms in the air and gasps. If she could bend her arms and put her hands to her cheeks she would. "Oh Jake, It's beautiful!" she says as he opens the door for her.

"Let me take you for a drive, my darling." says Jake. This is something I have always wanted. A 1959 Cadillac Eldorado convertible. I got a bright red one, just for my Ruby girl."

"Oh Jake, you are wonderful!" Ruby sighs as she puts her head on his shoulder. They drive off into the sunset at the end of another happy day at Mindolton Manor.

I found this wonderful car at the Steadman's store (an old fashioned five and dime complete with lunch counter - although nothing actually costs 5 or 10 cents nowadays) in Gravenhurst, Ontario when I was up at my sister's cottage. I just had to buy it for Jake. I could just see him driving it - tail fins and all. And, I thought, a mansion like Mindolton Manor should have a big fancy car.

It is a 1/12th scale model according to the box, but as you can see Jake's head is way above the top of the dashboard so I don't think it is as accurate as they claim. I hope he doesn't have an accident. He'll loose his head. The doors open and the seats come forward so mini people can get into the back seat. The hood opens and shows a very detailed motor. The trunk contains a white spare tire. I thought it was so much fun.

I actually baulked at the price tag - $20.00 - but figured I would never see a car like this again so decided to buy it. It wasn't until I got to the cash register that I saw the original price sticker on the box - $149.95. Wow, talk about depreciation.

I'm sure Jake and Ruby and the residents of Mindolton will have some great road trips in the future. They have already been to my living room with some of the children. Remember, Mondolton is in my dining room, so that was a journey of about 20 feet.

More Mindolton adventures soon.
Hugs,
Susan

My new doll

I got the sweetest doll for Mindolton Manor. She is a maid, but I think she looks like a Goth teenager. I am thinking about taking off her apron and letting her join the family as just that.

Her name is Marie and she is made of resin, not porcelain. I think she is adorable.

The Pampered Birthday Girl

Did you ever have one of those birthdays where you felt like the most spoiled pampered person on earth?

Last weekend was one of those birthdays for me. Friday afternoon they had a sumptuous chocolate cake for me at the office. Friday night my sweetheart took me out for a lovely, elegant dinner and then to Bergo Designs, a wonderful store in Toronto's Distillery District, where he bought me not one, not two, but three - count 'em - three Reac Japan designer chairs. It wasn't easy to choose, but I finally settled on these three. I am planning to make a modern condo for them. (That's what I need, another project.)

Saturday, I had my favourite hairdresser remove the gray from my hair - how it gets there I can't figure out - then met my daughter downtown for a wonderful dinner where she surprised me with tickets to the stage version of "The Sound of Music" What a great show. I enjoyed it thoroughly, even though my daughter told me that the people in the audience didn't come to hear me sing along so I should stop.

Sunday morning my son took me out to an incredible Sunday brunch - it was sooooo good, custom omelets, waffles, fruit, way more good food than I could eat - and after he cut my lawn without being asked. Then he took me to see Inglourious Basterds. I really enjoyed it, even if I had to cover my eyes during the really gory parts. (I am my own censor board). It was a great movie. Kind of like a comic book, I thought. Brad Pitt is hilarious in his role.



When I got home settled down in front of the TV with the bottle of wine my son brought me and watched old movies on TCM.

What a perfect birthday weekend. It's a shock to go to work today and not be pampered. Oh well, I only have to wait another 363 days for the next time.

Hugs

Susan

Decorating the nursery

Aren't these pictures adorable?

I have a couple of picture frames for them and I plan to put them on the nursery wall in Mindolton Manor. I just wish I could find the time to furnish the nursery.

I have a Heidi Ott toddler (in the small picture) with pigtails for the house - no clothes yet though. I need to get sewing.

I haven't decided what decade to do the nursery. Victorian? 1950's? 2010? Jake and Ruby could fit into almost any era, they way they are dressed. I'll have to give it some thought.

I got this lovely pram for her. I think it is so pretty.

Call Me Crazy - My kids do.

I have more doll houses than one person could possibly need, so why did I go out last night and buy three more. I am starting to believe my kids when they come over now and say, "Mom. how can you live here? You can barely move around the doll stuff. You need help"

Maybe the explanation will be more obvious when you see what I bought. I know I shouldn't check out Criagslist and Kijiji, but how can I resist? People want to get rid of the most wonderful things.

After work last night I picked up an Autoshare car and hit the road. At 5:45 p.m I picked up this lovely house for $25.00. It's exactly like the Lilliput Peaches 'n Cream - Dollhouse Kit 450. The lady said it had belonged to her daughters who were in their 20's. She put it on Craigslist because she didn't want to see it go in the trash. I'm glad she did.

It needs a little work, but it's a great house.

At about 7: p.m. and 20 Kilometeres north I was at the door of a kind lady who had this kit for sale for $20.00. She said it was given to her and she had never opened it.

It is the Greenleaf Tennyson Laser Cut Dollhouse Kit, but in a President's Choice box. One of our major grocery stores, Loblaws, offers President's Choice products. They made quite a hit back in the eighties by packaging quality food products under their President's Choice label and selling it in their stores and affiliates. They still do this today. Here in Canada, we know that President's Choice equals good stuff. I vaguely remember seeing Dollhouse kits for sale about 15 years back, but I never got one.

Here's a picture of the house from the Greenleaf site.

And now for the piece de resistance. Just as I was getting ready to leave my second stop I received an email message from the seller of the next house telling me I could pick up it up that evening. I called him for directions. I got back in the car and drove to a ritzy suburb north of the city. I arrived just before 8 p.m.

Look what I got ...

OMG! I always wanted an Apple Blossom. I had drooled over it in the Dollhouse shop where they had a finished one on display. This one needs a tiny bit of restoration on the outside, but it basically looks brand new. The inside is untouched and ready for wiring and decorating. I would love to get the extension to add to it at some point.

This one cost a bit more, but I figured a beautiful finished dollhouse was worth the $100 I paid for it. After all the kit alone costs over $200. and this one has the milled siding on it. The seller said that it had been his daughter's and that they had purchased it finished for over $400 when she was small. He said that she had never played with it. She is now in her mid-20s and they had decided to sell it because they were moving. It does look brand new, except for some broken shingles. I am delighted to have it.

So, there you have it. That's what I did last night. I may be crazy, but I sure am having fun!

Hugs,
Susan