Month: May 2025

Well, well, well – I have just discovered I can re-post an old post, not just as a link. This initially appeared many years ago. The dollhouse spent time in storage but then it was time for it to 'journey' again and it is now with a new family.

One thing I like about looking at old photos is seeing clothing I have made over the years and about  which I have forgotten.  This picture is from nearly thirty years ago and the first thing I noticed was the overalls;  they were a wide wale corduroy, an unusual material to use  in a child's garment but I liked the European look and they were certainly sturdy.

The dollhouse unleashed numerous memories. 

The ongoing  adventure started on a trip to Bennington, Vermont and a visit to a miniatures shop there.  We had three young boys but a dollhouse is not about gender.  We ended up ordering a kit to make a dollhouse,  a replica (scale 12" to 1") of the Victorian house owned by Harold Gray the creator of  Little Orphan Annie.

Above is  it in its initial stages of construction.  It was set up on a table in the dining room and came to life there over a number of months with almost daily attention.  It was not only a family endeavour but involved the neighbours as well. 
Here it is just completed.  German friends  advised us of the tradition of raising a pole with ribbons at a house completion and supplied one for ours.

We began to look at things differently once the dollhouse became part of our lives:  a glass earring became a hanging lamp;  the lining from a chocolate box became wallpaper;  could a magazine  be reduced to the 1/12 scale – yes!;  was a weather vane needed – of course!;  was it possible to knit a lace coverlet for the bed using piano wire for the knitting needles – well, likely, but not by me.

Here it is years later, after several moves.

The moves were something else!  We had the movers give an estimate for moving contents of our house, then, an extra cost for moving the doll house.  Finally we figured out a way of separating the top floor from the rest and making the whole procedure much simpler.

It now has its stained glass window…and an inlaid  mahogany star in the fir plank floor…and an  entrance to the third floor because one son could not stand that there was no access…and furniture….and accessories…..

Here is the back view.  Every single piece has a history and carries a memory. 

The dollhouse is presently with family in Toronto.

I have these things ready for when next I visit:  a piano shawl, replica of a French hand-painted silk one, and which, since the dollhouse does not (yet!) have a piano, will hang on a wall, as does the original in my home here;   a 'braided' rug (likely for in the bathroom);  a  'woven' rug for the nursery;  some  die cast tools made from zinc at Cominco in Trail, BC.  We'll need a tool box, next, or at least a tool drawer ….

(I still have a few things with me from my doll house days and will put these in another post)