Why I love thrift shops

I am in love with my new dining room table, (or games table, or desk - depends where you put it). It is inlaid by hand in lovely colors and has a rich patina to the old wood.

It looks wonderful with the Reac Macintosh chairs, and would suit any house furnished in the last 100 or so years.

I haven't decided yet which dollhouse it will look best in, but plan to try it in several.

I found this lovely inlaid box and these fancy chopsticks at a thrift shop last weekend, and the light bulb went on over my head.

Using a dollhouse dining table as a guide for height, I cut the grooved ends off the chopsticks and sanded them smooth on top. At least I tried to sand them smooth - they are almost smooth. I kept the top of the chopsticks and the bottom of the box for future projects.

I removed the tiny screws from the hinges of the box and glued a leg to each corner of the inlaid top.

I had been itching to use these lovely Reac Macintosh chairs in a dining room and was delighted to see that the colors of the chairs matched the inlaid box top perfectly.

I waited impatiently for the glue to dry - I have a bad habit of picking things up too soon and knocking off the pieces I have glued to them - and set up the new table and chairs in my cardboard Ikea house for a photoshoot.

The carpet is cut from a page in Architectural Digest. I don't know how it would look in on a wood floor, but it looks just fine in the cardboard house.

I am so pleased with myself for finding the box and chopsticks and seeing the potential. Let's all pat Susan on the back ; )

Hugs to all

Susan

Just for fun

I was cleaning up the storage space on my phone this week and downloaded these pictures to my desktop so I could delete them from the phone. Since I haven't had time to take new pictures I thought I would share these, just for fun.

The images are a little off - color and sharpness-wise - but that's what you get when you use your phone. The house is actually all white inside, but the pictures make it look like pastel colors.

Since I took these I have wallpapered the entire dollhouse and put in floors and baseboards, etc. It's a Tennyson I bought from Craigslist. It was beautifully built and finished, and all painted inside.

The picture above is a sitting room on the second floor. I built the fireplace table and chest from House of Miniatures kits. The china cabinet and living room suite are eBay finds. I don't know if you can see the lovely bowls in the china cabinet. They are salt sellers decorated in gold and white. Poke the picture and it will enlarge. All rugs in the house from eBay.

The kitchen below has an eBay find cupboard and the stove that came with the house. The table chairs and dry sink are House of Miniatures kits. The table cloth is a vintage doily and the vegetable basket is a fridge magnet.

The bedroom features a House of Miniatures canopy bed, highboy and bedside table that I made. The bassinet, complete with lovely porcelain baby, and the toy shelf came with the house.

I dragged that bed kit around with me for 30 years before I got around to making it. I moved it from house to house as I moved over the years and never gave myself permission to make it, but that's all changed now.

The bed kit was missing one of the posts, so when I finally got around to making it I used a chopstick cut to the right length. You will be able to see that the bed has one unturned post if you poke the picture. I don't think anyone would notice if I don't point it out.

In the picture below you can see the settee, chair and fireplace that came with the house. The fireplace fan and tools and the sampler on the mantel came with the house too. I built the clock, hanging shelf and table from House of Miniature kits. I dragged that clock kit around for 30 years too.

Here is an overview of the whole house. the furniture in the attic is also from some HofM kits I ordered from eBay. I really enjoy making them. You can see some of my other treasures in the background. I am not sure what is hanging in the hall. I probably should have cropped that out. Oh well.

I will try to post some picture of the house as it looks now with the wall paper, etc. I just never seem to have time to do photo-shoots - even amateur ones.

I hope you enjoyed the tour.

Hugs

Susan

Mindolton moments

I haven't had time to blog lately, but thought I would share some recent pictures.

Jake and Ruby are welcoming new neighbors to Mindolton. The dogs are excited too, but I am a bit worried that they will start a game of tag and make a shambles of the front hall.

The children are upstairs in the third floor hall. they are tired and cranky, and could do with a nap. They don't seem to be aware of the gathering happening just one floor down.

Marx Colonial Dollhouse #4018

Toronto's Sunday morning St. Lawrence Antique Market is a lovely place to enjoy your first coffee of the day. It is also a wonderful place to find miniature treasures. I was there yesterday and I got this.

A Marx Colonial Dollhouse #4018. This model was sold starting in the early 1950's. I don't know how many years it was on the market. It is all tin and the door doesn't open, the front windows are pierced. I was surprised to get most of the original furniture with it.

What stares I got on the street as I carried it along. Every woman (of my generation) who passed us said, "I had one of those when I was little." I couldn't help but notice that I was the only one crazy enough to buy it.

It has two rooms downstairs - a kitchen and a large living/dining room/front hall, all decorated beautifully for the new bride and her family. I love the avant guard 1950's color scheme inside.

Upstairs everything is bright and new. The nursery is decorated with toy soldiers. The bathroom has cheery towels and shower curtains on the wall. The bedroom has a lovely romantic fireplace and paintings on the walls. It is a very inviting home. Still, I wonder why there is a gun hanging over the living room fireplace. (hmmm.)

The furniture is original, and seems a little small for the house, but it fits perfectly into the painted rooms. The bathtub fits exactly between the shower curtains, the sink fits under the mirror, the sofa sits prettily in front of the hearth rug, and the dressers have their own spaces in the bedroom.

I was lucky to get most of the furniture with the house. I am missing the kitchen table and a couple of chairs, as well as three dining room chairs and a few other pieces, but I am not complaining. I love this little dwelling. I had one very much like it when I was a little girl. Where that one went, I have no idea.

I hope to get more pictures posted soon.



Happy blogging.

Hugs,

Susan

Mr. Blue-Green buys art

Poke the pictures to make them bigger.

New dollhouse people

I acquired some new dollhouse people recently. Some are Erna Meyer (three are new from eBay), and some might be Erna Meyer. Two of them are the same construction, but their origin is unknown because I got them at flea markets. I haven't decided where they are going to live yet, or what families they belong to. Right now they are visiting at Mindolton Manor.

The little girl in red came from an eBay store and is brand new. I love her red overalls and hands in pockets attitude. She looks like she considers things carefully before she decides what mischief she will get into.

Her slightly larger friend in the blue overalls is a little dirty. Her hair is messy and her shoes are a little like hospital slippers - made of cloth. I assume she is from a previous decade, but her origin is unknown. I got her at a flea market in a bunch of other dolls and clothes. To me she looks like an impetuous tomboy who leaps before she looks. It's lucky her friend is a little more reserved. They make a good team. I don't think they are sisters - just buddies

Here they are getting into the beautiful cheese buffet before it is served to the guests. The dog is wistfully hoping for dropped cheese, and I am sure the girls would be happy to share - if the adults don't catch them first.

Also from eBay are these two dashing young men. I am thinking of making Mr. Green Shirt into the Reverend for the Mindlton church but haven't completely made up my mind. I like his turtle neck and jeans and hate to replace them with a black shirt with dog collar. There isn't really any rush. It will be quite some time before I refurbish the church, so I might find a better Minister by then.

I am in love with Mr. Check Suit. Isn't he adorable? He is single right now, but I don't expect that to last long. He looks like he has a good job and he already has his eye on one of the porcelain lady dolls in Green Shutters. Yes, I know it would be a mixed marriage - porcelain and cloth - but if they are happy no one will object. Hmmm, will their children be breakable or not? I guess we have to wait and see.

Another Flea Market find is this lovely lady. I think she was meant to represent the Czech Republic or the Ukraine, but I took off her apron and flowered shaw, then turned her collar around and fastened it with the brooch from her shawl. I tightened up the red sash at her waist and now she looks like a Victorian lady. I saved her apron and shawl in case I want to change her back.

Here is the group altogether. I am very pleased with my new people. I need to get working on my houses so I can find them all homes. But winter is coming and I know what I will be doing on those long cold evenings.

Hugs,
Susan

My birthday present finally arrived

I always buy myself presents at Christmas and on my birthday. It's always something I couldn't justify buying otherwise and I always end up spending way more than I should.

I was surfing the net one day, looking for dollhouses of course, and found the Mini Modern Blog. She has some wonderful things on her blog, but what caught my attention was the Bozart Kaleidoscope House.

I remember seeing this house and furniture for sale at a shop in Toronto's Distillery District a few years ago. It was about $200. If only I knew then what I know now. I would have bought a couple back then. It is selling on eBay for $800 - $1300. I sure can't afford one now.

I went on eBay to check out Bozart and found that the furniture is still available and is not unreasonably priced compared to other quality minis. And voila, I had found my birthday present to myself.

It arrived yesterday and couldn't wait to get at it. I don't have a modern house. It seems most dollhouses are from an era before the year 2000. Where, I pondered, could I set up my new treasures?

A year or so ago I picked up a cardboard Ikea dollhouse at Goodwill for $5.00. It was still flat and in its original plastic when I got it, and I set it up to hold extra mini furniture. It could be my temporary modern house. After all, what is more modern than Ikea?

I had such fun setting it up last night.

Some of the smaller chairs are Reac, Japan, including my recent birthday presents from my sweetie. The art, rugs, lamps and vases are by Bozart. Some came with the furniture and some accessories came in a set.

The bedside table in the master bedroom is an acrylic cube with a globe suspended in it. I am not sure of its original function, but I think it looks great.

In bedrooms 2 and 3 I added wood blocks under the futons, just to get them off the floor, and the two children's chairs in the smallest bedroom are, I think, from a Mattel Kelly set. I got them at the thrift shop so I am not sure, but I think they are adorable.

Isn't the sculpture in the dining room hideous? (Well I think it is - but fun too). I added two Reac MacIntosh side chairs and a black Chrysnbon Grandfather clock. I think the dining room is my favourite room

I decided not to take the dishes out of their packaging until I had a proper house for them so I just put them on some round blocks and made a server bar in the kitchen.

Decorating the nursery 2

I have found some furniture for the nursery. I guess I am not going with a modern theme - at least not this time.

I was inspired by the adorable decorated shelf in the second picture. I couldn't resist it. Then I saw the crib and had to have it. I am going to have some lace, or maybe pink gingham hanging from the canopy at the top. It will look so sweet.

I got both at the The Little Dollhouse Company on Mount Pleasant in Toronto. The crib was the last one they had. They had another decorated shelf set, but it was in lavender and about $8.00 more expensive. Maria, who runs the shop, does an interesting thing. She prices her merchandise according to the price she pays for it. So if she pays less for something in May it will cost you less than the same item that she paid more for in August.

I think that is very fair, and gives the buyer some bargains in the deal.

When I got home I looked through the dollhouse furniture I had and found the rocking chair, doll carriage and the little baker's rack at the back of the photo.

I added a couple of accessories and the pink rug and took pictures so I could show you.

I have set up the nursery temporarily in the bedroom of my completed Tennyson (I have a kit, too - I got it for $20.00). I will move it to Mindolton Manor once the nursery is ready.

I am trying my hand at mini knitting and crocheting and I am making a knitted baby afghan in pink for the crib and a crocheted carriage cover for the pram. I am not the best needle person in the world and am having a terrible time with the tiny knitting needles. I keep dropping stitches and losing count of the pattern. I've started the afghan three times. If I ever complete it I'll show it to you.

I am almost as bad at crocheting and am really screwing up the shell stitch in the carriage cover. We'll see how it turns out. I may have to just fold it up and put it on the shelf. It should look fine that way.

I intend to persevere, though. I keep telling myself they are only 3 inches long and will be done before I know it. I only wish these little projects would live up to that.

More soon.

Hugs,

Susan